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Elephant tourism often involves cruelty – here are steps toward more humane, animal-friendly excursions

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michelle-szydlowski-1495781">Michelle Szydlowski</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/miami-university-1934">Miami University</a> Suju Kali is a 50-year-old elephant in Nepal who has been carrying tourists for over 30 years. Like many elephants I encounter through my <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/10888705.2022.2028628">research</a>, Suju Kali exhibits anxiety and can be aggressive toward strangers. She suffers from emotional trauma as a result of prolonged, commercial human contact. Like Suju Kali, many animals are trapped within the tourism industry. Some venues have no oversight and little concern for animal or tourist safety. Between 120,000 and 340,000 animals are used globally in a variety of wildlife tourism attractions, including <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0138939">endangered species</a> like elephants. Over a quarter of the world’s <a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/7140/45818198">endangered elephants</a> reside in captivity with little oversight. Wildlife tourism – which involves viewing wildlife such as primates or birds in conservation areas, feeding or touching captive or “rehabilitated” wildlife in facilities, and bathing or riding animals like elephants – is <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/14724049.2022.2156523">tricky business</a>. I know this because I am <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=YbweA2MAAAAJ&hl=en">a researcher studying human relationships with elephants</a> in both tourism and conservation settings within Southeast Asia. These types of experiences have long been an <a href="https://kathmandupost.com/money/2021/06/17/tourism-is-nepal-s-fourth-largest-industry-by-employment-study">extremely popular and profitable</a> part of the <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.1002074">tourism market</a>. But now, many travel-related organizations are urging people not to participate in, or <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/destinations/2018/04/27/animal-welfare-travelers-how-enjoy-wildlife-without-harming/544938002/">calling for an outright ban on, interactive wildlife experiences</a>. Tourism vendors have started marketing more “ethical options” for consumers. Some are attempting to truly improve the health and welfare of wildlife, and some are transitioning captive wildlife into touch-free, non-riding or lower-stress environments. In other places, organizations are attempting to <a href="https://www.fao.org/documents/card/es/c/b2c5dad0-b9b9-5a3d-a720-20bf3b9f0dc2/">implement standards of care</a> or create manuals that outline good practices for animal husbandry. This marketing, academics argue, is often simply “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2017.11.007">greenwashing</a>,” <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2023.2280704">applying marketing labels to make consumers feel better</a> about their choices without making any real changes. Worse, research shows that some programs marketing themselves as ethical tourism may instead be widening economic gaps and harming both humans and other species that they are meant to protect. <h2>No quick fix</h2> For example, rather than tourist dollars trickling down to local struggling families as intended by local governments, many tourism venues are owned by nonresidents, <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/japfcsc.v2i1.26746">meaning the profits do not stay in the area</a>. Likewise, only a small number of residents can afford to own tourism venues, and venues do not provide employment for locals from lower income groups. This economic gap is especially obvious in Nepalese elephant stables: Venue owners continue to make money off elephants, while elephant caregivers continue to work 17 hours a day for about US$21 a month; tourists are led to believe they are “<a href="https://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/doi/book/10.1079/9781800624498.0000">promoting sustainability</a>.” Yet, there are no easy answers, especially for elephants working in tourism. Moving them to sanctuaries is difficult because with no governmental or global welfare oversight, elephants may end up in worse conditions. Many kindhearted souls who want to “help” elephants know little about their biology and mental health needs, or what it takes to keep them healthy. Also, feeding large animals like Suju Kali is pricey, <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14010171">costing around $19,000 yearly</a>. So without profits from riding or other income, owners – or would-be rescuers – can’t maintain elephants. Releasing captive elephants to the jungle is not a choice – many have never learned to live in the wild, so they cannot survive on their own. <h2>Hurting local people</h2> Part of the problem lies with governments, as many have marketed tourism as a way to fund conservation projects. For example in Nepal, a percentage of ticket sales from elephant rides are given to community groups to use for forest preservation and support for local families. Increasing demand for <a href="https://www.routledge.com/Tourism-and-Animal-Ethics/Fennell/p/book/9781032431826">wildlife-based tourism</a> may increase traffic in the area and thus put pressure on local governments to further limit local people’s access to forest resources. This may also lead to <a href="https://www.worldanimalprotection.org/latest/news/un-world-tourism-organisation-urged-create-better-future-animals/">increased demands on local communities</a>, as was the case in Nepal. In the 1970s, the Nepalese government removed local people from their lands in what is now Chitwan National Park as part of increasing “conservation efforts” and changed the protected area’s boundaries. Indigenous “Tharu,” or people of the forest, were forced to abandon their villages and land. While some were offered access to “buffer zones” in the 1990s, many remain poor and landless today. In addition, more and more desirable land surrounding conservation areas in Nepal is being developed for tourist-based businesses such as hotels, restaurants and shops, <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/japfcsc.v2i1.26746">pushing local poor people farther away</a> from central village areas and the associated tourism income. Some activists would like humans to simply release all wildlife back into the wild, but <a href="https://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/doi/book/10.1079/9781800624498.0000">there are multiple issues</a> with that. Elephant habitats throughout Southeast Asia have been transformed into croplands, cities or train tracks for human use. Other problems arise from the fact that tourism elephants have <a href="https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315457413">never learned</a> how to be elephants in their natural elements, as they were <a href="https://www.pugetsound.edu/sites/default/files/file/8342_Journal%20of%20Tourism%20%282009%29_0.pdf">separated from their herds</a> at an early age. So tourism may be vital to providing food, care and shelter to captive elephants for the rest of their lives and providing jobs for those who really need them. Because elephants can live beyond 60 years, this can be a large commitment. <h2>How to be an ethical tourist</h2> To protect elephants, tourists should check out reviews and photos from any venue they want to visit, and look for clues that animal welfare might be impacted, such as tourists allowed to feed, hold or ride captive wildlife animals. Look for healthy animals, which means doing research on what “healthy” animals of that species should look like. If a venue lists no-touch demonstrations – “unnatural” behaviors that don’t mimic what an elephant might do of their own accord, such as sitting on a ball or riding a bike, or other performances – remember that the behind-the-scenes training used to achieve these behaviors can be <a href="https://doi.org/10.21832/9781845415051-014">violent, traumatic or coercive</a>. Another way to help people and elephant is to to use small, local companies to book your adventures in your area of interest, rather than paying large, international tourism agencies. Look for locally owned hotels, and wait to book excursions until you arrive so you can use local service providers. Book homestay programs and attend cultural events led by community members; talk to tourists and locals you meet in the target town to get their opinions, and use local guides who provide wildlife viewing opportunities <a href="https://nepaldynamicecotours.com/">while maintaining distance from animals</a>. Or tourists can ask to visit <a href="https://www.americanhumane.org/press-release/global-humane-launches-humane-tourism-certification-program/">venues that are certified</a> by international humane animal organizations and that <a href="https://www.su4e.org/">do not allow contact</a> with wildlife. Or they can opt for guided hikes, canoe or kayak experiences, and other environmentally friendly options. While these suggestions will not guarantee that your excursion is animal-friendly, they will help decrease your impact on wildlife, support local families and encourage venues to stop using elephants as entertainment. Those are good first steps.<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/219792/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michelle-szydlowski-1495781">Michelle Szydlowski</a>, Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of Biology, Project Dragonfly, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/miami-university-1934">Miami University</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/elephant-tourism-often-involves-cruelty-here-are-steps-toward-more-humane-animal-friendly-excursions-219792">original article</a>.

Travel Tips

"Losing his speech": Home Alone star's major health update

Home Alone star Ken Hudson Campbell's daughter has shared a health update for fans after the actor underwent surgery to remove a tumour in his mouth. Speaking to People Magazine, Michaela revealed that her father is "doing well" after his 10-hour surgery last week, but there are still a few challenges their family will have to face, as Campbell will need to have radiation treatment five times a week. "I think the hardest part of this is going to be him losing his speech and his ability to talk. So speech therapy is going to play a big role in it," she told the publication. "We're kind of playing it one step at a time, depending on how debilitated he is. "If he needs extra help, we might put him into a nursing home for a little while, but if not, we're going to take him back home and we still will be hiring post-op care help with that." This comes after Michaela and her family managed to raise $102,000 USD ($AU 152,000) for their father's treatment through crowd-funding, after the actor lost his SAG-AFTRA health insurance in January last year. Campbell, who played Santa Claus in Home Alone, "burst into tears" when he saw the messages and well wishes on the crowd-funding page. He was diagnosed with Squamous cell carcinoma - or oral cancer, on October 27. His family are hoping for a full recovery for the actor who they described as "a loving father of two children with an admirable lust for life, and a passion for acting, writing, & sports." Images: Instagram

Caring

"32 years of safe landings": Pilot's surprise speech reduces passengers to tears

A pilot has brought his passengers to tears with an emotional speech on his final flight after 32 years in the skies. Jeff Fell, an American Airlines pilot, took off from Chicago on his retirement flight as he stood in front of his passengers and delivered a heartfelt message. At first, his message seemed routine, informing travellers of the weather and and flight time, before acknowledging it was strange for him to deliver the address from outside the cockpit. “I normally don’t stand up in front of everybody like this, I usually just stay in the cockpit and talk on the PA. If I get a little emotional please forgive me for that,” he said in the speech, which was captured on video by a passenger. With passengers still unaware of what was to come, he pointed out a group of “very important people” to him sitting at the back of the plane. “They’re the majority of my family who have come along with me on my retirement flight,” Mr Fell said. The plane was filled with applause as the pilot's voice wavered with emotion. “They’re on-board with me on my retirement flight after 32 years with American,” he said. He continued, fighting back tears, “Thank you all for coming along with me tonight and celebrating this very memorable time in my life. I love all of you." With another round of applause from his passengers, Mr Fell added:, “I didn’t want to get emotional but goodness gracious.” “Finally, for my wonderful wife Julie who has been at my side for the majority of my 32 years at American. She has been the rock, the solid rock in the foundation in our lives and our marriage. Her faith in the Lord, wisdom, strength and love has guided our marriage and family throughout these years. I love you and look forward to the next chapter in our lives. And welcome aboard everybody.” The video was uploaded to TikTok and has since gone viral, raking up millions of views, and you can watch the full video <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@realjharrison/video/7299484162648509738" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>. Thousands of social media users left comments of support, with many confessing the clip had brought them to tears. “As soon as he said retirement flight my tears came,” one person wrote, while another added, "32 years of safe landings also. God bless him and all pilots.” “To think of the amount of families, people, and cultures he has single-handedly connected throughout the world. Thank you!” penned a third person. “32 years of bringing people closer together. I’m crying!” agreed another. Image credits: TikTok

International Travel

If the world were coming to an end, what would be the most ethical way to rebuild humanity ‘off planet’?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/evie-kendal-734653">Evie Kendal</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/swinburne-university-of-technology-767">Swinburne University of Technology</a> Last week, scientists announced that for the first time on record, Antarctic ice has failed to “substantially recover” over winter, in a “once in 7.5-million-year event”. Climate change is the <a href="https://theconversation.com/antarctica-is-missing-a-chunk-of-sea-ice-bigger-than-greenland-whats-going-on-210665">most likely culprit</a>. Petra Heil, a sea ice physicist from the Australian Antarctic Division, <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-07-24/antarctic-sea-ice-levels-nosedive-five-sigma-event/102635204">told the ABC</a> it could tip the world into a new state. “That would be quite concerning to the sustainability of human conditions on Earth, I suspect.” And in March, a senior United Nations disarmament official <a href="https://press.un.org/en/2023/sc15250.doc.htm">told the Security Council</a> the risk of nuclear weapons being used today is higher than at any time since the end of the Cold War. Both warnings speak to concerns about Earth’s security. Will our planet be able to support human life in the future? And if not, will humanity have another chance at survival in space? <h2>‘Billionauts’ and how to choose who goes</h2> Over the past few years, we’ve witnessed the rise of the “billionaut”. The ultra-wealthy are engaged in a <a href="https://theconversation.com/billionaire-space-race-the-ultimate-symbol-of-capitalisms-flawed-obsession-with-growth-164511">private space race</a> costing billions of dollars, while <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/oliverwilliams1/2021/12/21/billionaire-space-race-turns-into-a-publicity-disaster/?sh=79056f7e5e4d">regular citizens often condemn</a> the wasted resources and contribution to global carbon emissions. Space – described in the <a href="https://www.unoosa.org/oosa/en/ourwork/spacelaw/treaties/introouterspacetreaty.html">Outer Space Treaty</a> as being the “province of all mankind” – risks instead becoming the playground of the elite few, as they try to escape the consequences of environmental destruction. But if we have to select humans to send into space for a species survival mission, how do we choose who gets to go? In Montreal last month, the <a href="https://irg.space/irg-2023/">Interstellar Research Group</a> explored the question: how would you select a crew for the first interstellar mission? A panel led by <a href="https://www.erikanesvold.com/">Erika Nesvold</a>, a co-editor of the new book <a href="https://global.oup.com/academic/product/reclaiming-space-9780197604793?cc=au&lang=en&">Reclaiming Space</a>, discussed the perspectives of gender minorities, people with disabilities and First Nations groups regarding the ideal composition for an off-world crew. I was on the panel to discuss my contribution to the book, which explores how we can promote procreation in our new off-world society, without diminishing the reproductive liberty of survivors. <h2>The ultra-wealthy and reproductive slavery</h2> The first step in deciding how to allocate limited spaces on our “lifeboat” is identifying and rejecting options that are practically or ethically unacceptable. The first option I rejected was a user-pay system, whereby the wealthy can purchase a seat on the lifeboat. A 2022 Oxfam report showed the investments of just 125 billionaires collectively contribute 393 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year: <a href="https://www.oxfam.org/en/press-releases/billionaire-emits-million-times-more-greenhouse-gases-average-person#:%7E:text=Recent%20data%20from%20Oxfam's%20research,%C2%B0C%20goal%20of%20the">a million times more</a> than the average for most global citizens. If the ultra-wealthy are the only ones to survive an environmental apocalypse, there’s a risk they would just create another one, on another planet. This would undermine the species survival project. The second option I rejected was allowing a reproductive slave class to develop, with some survivors compelled to populate the new community. This would disproportionately impact cis-gender women of reproductive capacity, demanding their gestational labour in exchange for a chance at survival. Neither a user-pay system nor reproductive slave labour would achieve the goal of “saving humanity” in any meaningful way. Many would argue preserving human values - including equality, reproductive liberty, and respect for diversity - is more important than saving human biology. If we lose what makes us unique as a species, that would be a kind of extinction anyway. But if we want humanity to survive, we still need to build our population in our new home. So what other options do we have? <h2>Reproduction and diversity</h2> How can we avoid discrimination on the basis of reproductive capacity – including age, sexuality, <a href="https://theconversation.com/infertility-through-the-ages-and-how-ivf-changed-the-way-we-think-about-it-87128">fertility status</a> or personal preference? We could avoid any questions about family planning when selecting our crew. This would align with <a href="https://www.seek.com.au/career-advice/article/illegal-interview-questions-what-employers-have-no-right-to-ask">equal opportunity policies</a> in other areas, like employment. But we would then have to hope enough candidates selected on other merits happen to be willing and able to procreate. Alternatively, we could reserve a certain number of places for those who agree to contribute to population growth. Fertility would then become an inherent job requirement. This might be similar to taking on a role as a <a href="https://theconversation.com/surrogacy-laws-why-a-global-approach-is-needed-to-stop-exploitation-of-women-98966">surrogate</a>, in which reproductive capacity is essential. But what if, after accepting such a position on the mission, someone changed their mind about wanting children? Would they be expected to provide some sort of compensation? Would they be vulnerable to retaliation? The more we focus on procreation, the less diversity we will preserve in the species as a whole – especially if we deliberately select against diverse sexualities, disabilities and older people. A lack of diversity would also threaten the long-term viability of the new society. For example, even if we exclude all physiologically or socially infertile people from the initial crew, these traits will reappear in future generations. The difference is: these children would be born into a less accepting community. Cooperation will be essential for the new human society – so promoting hostility would be counterproductive. So, what options are left? Using a random global sample to select travellers might alleviate concerns about equity and fairness. But the ability of a random sample to maximise our survival as a species would depend on how large the sample can be. A global sample would minimise bias. But there’s a risk it might yield a crew without doctors, engineers, farmers or other essential personnel. <h2>Random selection versus a points-based system</h2> The best balance between competing needs might be a stratified random sampling method, involving randomly selecting survivors from predetermined categories. Reproductive potential might be one category. Others might focus on other elements of practical usefulness or contribution to human diversity. Another option is a points-based system, whereby different skills and characteristics are ranked in terms of their desirability. In this system, an elderly person who speaks multiple languages may score higher than a physiologically fertile young person, due to their ability to substantially contribute to language preservation and education. This does not entirely eliminate the potential for discrimination, of course. Someone would need to decide which traits are most desirable and valuable to the new human society. However we determine our lifeboat candidates, it should be carefully considered. In our attempt to “save humanity”, we must avoid sacrificing the very things that make us human. <hr /> Evie Kendal is a contributor to <a href="https://global.oup.com/academic/product/reclaiming-space-9780197604793?cc=au&lang=en&">Reclaiming Space: Progressive and Multicultural Visions of Space Exploration</a> (Oxford University Press)<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/210647/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/evie-kendal-734653">Evie Kendal</a>, Senior lecturer of health promotion, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/swinburne-university-of-technology-767">Swinburne University of Technology</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/if-the-world-were-coming-to-an-end-what-would-be-the-most-ethical-way-to-rebuild-humanity-off-planet-210647">original article</a>.

Travel Trouble

10 reasons humans kill animals – and why we can’t avoid it

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/benjamin-allen-100036">Benjamin Allen</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-southern-queensland-1069">University of Southern Queensland</a> As long as humans have existed, they’ve killed animals. But the necessity of some types of animal killing are now questioned by many. So can humans ever stop killing animals entirely? And if not, what’s the best way forward? <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969723039062">New research</a> I led investigates these questions. My colleagues and I identified the ten main reasons why humans kill animals. We found the need for some types of animal killing is questionable, but several forms are inescapable – a necessary part of humanity’s involvement in a single, functioning, finite global food web. But the debate doesn’t end there. Even if humans must kill animals in some cases, they can modify their behaviours to improve the welfare of animals while they are alive, and to reduce an animal’s suffering when it is killed. Doing so may improve the lives of animals to a greater extent than efforts to eliminate human killing entirely. <h2>Why humans kill animals</h2> Critics of animal-killing come from a variety of perspectives. Some oppose it on <a href="http://refhub.elsevier.com/S0048-9697(23)03906-2/rf0005">moral grounds</a>. Others claim animals should have <a href="https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/cobi.13494">rights equal</a> to humans, and say animal killing is a criminal act. Many people view any animal killing as <a href="https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/cobi.13126">cruel</a>, regardless of whether the animal suffers. But as valid and important as these views might be, they largely fail to address why humans kill animals – and why in many cases, it can’t be avoided. Our research sought to shed light on this. We focus our discussion on vertebrate animals which are almost universally recognised as “sentient” (or able to perceive and feel things). We identified ten main reasons humans kill animals: 1. Wild harvest or food acquisition: such as killing wild animals for meat 2. Human health and safety: such as reactively killing an animal when it attacks you 3. Agriculture and aquaculture: such as killing that occurs in the global meat industries, or killing required to produce crops 4. Urbanisation and industrialisation: such as clearing bushland to build homes 5. Wildlife control: such as programs that eradicate introduced animals to stop them killing native ones 6. Threatened species conservation: such as unintentionally killing animals when relocating them 7. Recreation, sport or entertainment: such as trophy hunting or bull fighting, and animal killing required to feed domestic pets 8. Mercy or compassion: such as euthanasing an animal hit by a car 9. Cultural and religious practice: such as animal sacrifice during the Islamic celebration of <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jul/01/sydney-muslims-take-eid-al-adha-livestock-sacrifice-into-their-own-hands">Eid al-Adha</a>, or those associated with the <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/1594756">Yoruba</a> religion of West Africa 10. Research, education and testing: such as the laboratory use of rodents or primates. <h2>Understanding human killing behaviour</h2> So how best should we understand the above types of animal killing? Our research considers them in ecological terms – as behaviours consistent with our predatory and competitive roles in the global food web. Such behaviours are intended to improve human prospects for acquiring food or to protect and enhance life. These are innate life objectives for any sentient animal. Maintenance of all life on Earth requires obtaining, using, disposing of and recycling chemical elements. Ecosystems can be thought of as a “battleground” for these elements. <a href="https://theconversation.com/peter-singers-fresh-take-on-animal-liberation-a-book-that-changed-the-world-but-not-enough-205830">Some people argue</a> that directly killing animals is unacceptable, or that adopting certain lifestyles or diets, such as veganism, can eliminate or greatly reduce animal killing. But in our view, achieving a no-killing lifestyle is a physical and ecological impossibility. For instance, most plant foods come from crops grown on land where animals have been <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/5/1225">killed or displaced</a>. And while an animal-free diet for humans might temporarily reduce the number of animals killed, this won’t last forever. As human populations continue to grow, more land will eventually be needed to meet their food requirements. At that point, humans will have to directly or indirectly kill animals again or risk dying themselves. Humans also need space to live, which <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969723039062?ref=pdf_download&fr=RR-2&rr=7e2e8f44ae1aaae3#bbb1045">results in</a> animal killing when habitat is razed. Of course, in rare cases an individual human may live without killing animals directly. Perhaps they live in a cave in the forest, and get sustenance from wild berries and mushrooms. But that human still lives inside the food web, and is competing against other animals for finite resources. In these cases, other animals may suffer and die because the human’s use of berries and caves leaves less food and space for them. Even if that human could do no harm at all to any animal, it’s still impossible for societies at large to live in this way. Some forms of animal killing are certainly not essential for human existence. Good examples are recreational hunting, euthanasia or keeping pets (which requires killing animals to feed them). And we certainly do not condone direct human participation in all forms of animal killing. It’s also important to note that in many cases, current levels of animal killing are <a href="https://www.opsociety.org/stop-unsustainable-fishing/">unsustainable</a>. Human populations have increased to the point where animals must be killed on enormous scales to feed, house and protect ourselves. If this continues, animal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969723039062?ref=pdf_download&fr=RR-2&rr=7e2e8f44ae1aaae3#bbb0905">populations</a> will <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969723039062?ref=pdf_download&fr=RR-2&rr=7e2e8f44ae1aaae3#bbb0910">crash</a> – and with them, human populations. Nevertheless, we maintain that the overall necessity of animal killing is an unavoidable reality for humanity as a whole. A variety of direct and indirect forms of animal killing will undoubtedly remain an ongoing human endeavour. <h2>Taking responsibility</h2> So what are the implications of all this? We hope our research leads to a constructive dialogue, which starts with accepting that human existence on Earth is dependent on animal killing. It should then focus on the nuances of animal welfare and sustainability. Humans are the only known animals with an ethical or moral conscience. That means we have <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969723039062?ref=pdf_download&fr=RR-2&rr=7e2e8f44ae1aaae3#bbb0650">a responsibility</a> to assume a stewardship role over all other animals, to resolve negative interactions between them as best as possible, and to ensure good welfare for as many animals as we can. Directing our attention in this way is likely to improve the lives of animals to a greater extent than trying to prevent humans from killing animals altogether – efforts my colleagues and I believe will ultimately be in vain.<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/209218/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/benjamin-allen-100036">Benjamin Allen</a>, Wildlife ecologist, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-southern-queensland-1069">University of Southern Queensland</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/10-reasons-humans-kill-animals-and-why-we-cant-avoid-it-209218">original article</a>.

Family & Pets

"Possibly carcinogenic to humans": WHO's dire warning over common ingredient

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has called for one of the world’s most popular artificial sweeteners to be declared a possible carcinogen. The push will be led by the WHO’s research team for the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), pitting it against the food industry and regulators. The sweetener, known as Aspartame, is used in products from Coca-Cola diet drinks, such as Diet Coke and Coke Zero, to Mars’ Extra chewing gum and some Snapple drinks. Later this month, the IARC will list Aspartame for the first time as “possibly carcinogenic to humans” The ruling from the IARC has assessed whether the sweetener is hazardous to humans or not, although it does not stipulate how much of the product a person can safely consume. This advice for individual consumers comes from a different organisation, known as JECFA (the Joint WHO and Food and Agriculture Organisation’s Expert Committee on Food Additives), who make consumption guidelines alongside national regulators. Despite the claims from the WHO, since as early as 1981 JECFA has said aspartame is safe to consume within accepted daily limits. An adult weighing 60kg would have to drink between 12 and 36 cans of diet soft drink, depending on the amount of aspartame in the beverage, every day to be at risk. Its view has been widely shared by national regulators, including in the United States and Europe. These conflicting reports have angered some regulators and consumers alike, with Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare official Nozomi Tomita writing to the WHO, “kindly asking both bodies to coordinate their efforts in reviewing aspartame to avoid any confusion or concerns among the public.” Image credits: Getty Images

Body

Human remains found in search for missing actor

Californian hikers have discovered human remains in the wilderness area where actor Julian Sands disappeared more than five months ago, according to authorities. Officials have not yet identified the victim. The remains were transported to the coroner’s office for confirmation, which is expected to be completed next week, The New York Post reported. Sands was reported missing on January 13 after he failed to return from a hiking trip in Mount Baldy, located about 72 kilometres east of Los Angeles. The search – consisting of 80 volunteers and officials – resumed on June 12 after a temporary suspension. Police have conducted eight ground and air searches since the actor's disappearance on the mountain. “Despite the recent warmer weather, portions of the mountain remain inaccessible due to extreme alpine conditions. Multiple areas include steep terrain and ravines, which still have 10-plus feet [about 16 metres] of ice and snow,” San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office said. Sands’ family spoke publicly for the first time since he vanished, releasing a statement on June 23 to express their gratitude for the ongoing search and rescue efforts. “We are deeply grateful to the search teams and co-ordinators who have worked tirelessly to find Julian,” the family said. “We continue to hold Julian in our hearts, with bright memories of him as a wonderful father, husband, explorer, lover of the natural world and the arts, and as an original and collaborative performer.” Sands is known for starring in films such as Arachnophobia, A Room with a View, Warlock and Leaving Las Vegas. Mt. Baldy is renowned for being one of the most dangerous peaks to climb in California. According to the Los Angeles Times, six people have died with crews conducting over 100 searches as daredevils and avid hikers alike are drawn to the daunting challenge of the more-than-16,000 metre climb. In January, officials found hiker Jin Chung, 75, who had become lost on Mount Baldy and was hospitalised with a leg injury and other weather-related injuries. Before Chung’s brief disappearance, a mother of four fell more than 500 to 700 feet to her death. Crystal Paula Gonzalez, renowned as a “hiking queen”, slipped on the steep icy hillside and later died from her injuries, officials reported. Image credit: Facebook / Getty

News

“What a legend”: Groom exposes new wife’s affair during wedding speech

A groom has exposed his new wife after finding out she had been having an affair with his best man during a speech at their wedding. The scorned groom handed out intimate photos and explicit videos of his wife and the best man together before announcing he would be “leaving now”, dropping the microphone and then walking off with his family, who had been pre-warned. On The Unfiltered Bride podcast, wedding planners Georgina and Beth spoke about the shocking story. Georgina said although his family knew, he wanted to go ahead with the wedding so that the bride would have to pay for all the food. They posted a snippet of their podcast on TikTok, which quickly went viral. Georgina said on the podcast, “I've got another story to tell you. I can't tell you who told me because I'm not really allowed to tell the story, but f**k it I'm going to tell the story anyway. So there was a wedding and they did the wedding, bride and groom got married, lovely ceremony, drinks reception, sat down for wedding breakfast, had their food, speeches after food.” “Father of the bride does his thing, groom stands up and says, ‘Just before I properly get started, there's some envelopes coming round now. If you could all open them up. Yeah those are pictures of the bride f*****g the best man so I'll be leaving now.’ Dropped the microphone and him and all his family knew about it and left because they wanted the bride to have to pay for the food.” Beth then asked, ”So the bride paid for everything?” To which Georgina replied, “The bride's family paid for everything.” The video sparked numerous reactions. “My mouth actually dropped. OMG!!!” one person said. “I don’t blame him at all!! I’d do the same 😂😂” another added. “But WHY did he still marry her?” a third asked. “I admire the patience of the groom and family to get through the whole thing without slipping up once. 😅” another added. Image credit: Shutterstock

Relationships

Tom Cruise’s unconventional acceptance speech

Tom Cruise has given one of the most unique acceptance speeches at the 2023 MTV Movie & TV Awards. The 60-year-old, who famously performs his own stunts and is a licensed pilot himself, delivered a pre-recorded speech on May 7 while flying a World War II propeller plane. Cruise won best performance in a movie for Top Gun: Maverick. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Things we'll never forget: <a href="https://twitter.com/TomCruise?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TomCruise</a>'s performance in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TopGun?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TopGun</a>: Maverick 🎥 Congrats to Tom Cruise on winning Best Performance in a Movie at the 2023 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MTVAwards?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MTVAwards</a>! <a href="https://t.co/dZr3Wglpdq">pic.twitter.com/dZr3Wglpdq</a> — Movie & TV Awards (@MTVAwards) <a href="https://twitter.com/MTVAwards/status/1655367059994456065?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 8, 2023</a></blockquote> “Hi everyone, thank you so much for this award,” he said from the cockpit. “I make these films for you. I love you. I love entertaining you. To know how much you enjoy it, how much you appreciate it, there’s just no better feeling.” In his acceptance speech, Cruise appears to be piloting the P-51 Mustang plane that he owns, which was featured in Top Gun: Maverick. “You have a wonderful summer," Cruise said in his speech. "Thank you again for letting me entertain you. It’s an absolute privilege. We’ll see you at the movies.” Cruise also recorded a similar message from the same plane that was played for King Charles II during the coronation concert on May 8. “Pilot to pilot," Cruise said. "Your Majesty, you can be my wingman any time.” Image credit: Twitter

Movies

Will AI ever reach human-level intelligence? We asked 5 experts

Artificial intelligence has changed form in recent years. What started in the public eye as a burgeoning field with promising (yet largely benign) applications, has snowballed into a <a href="https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/artificial-intelligence-ai-market">more than US$100 billion</a> industry where the heavy hitters – Microsoft, Google and OpenAI, to name a few – seem <a href="https://theconversation.com/bard-bing-and-baidu-how-big-techs-ai-race-will-transform-search-and-all-of-computing-199501">intent on out-competing</a> one another. The result has been increasingly sophisticated large language models, often <a href="https://theconversation.com/everyones-having-a-field-day-with-chatgpt-but-nobody-knows-how-it-actually-works-196378">released in haste</a> and without adequate testing and oversight. These models can do much of what a human can, and in many cases do it better. They can beat us at <a href="https://theconversation.com/an-ai-named-cicero-can-beat-humans-in-diplomacy-a-complex-alliance-building-game-heres-why-thats-a-big-deal-195208">advanced strategy games</a>, generate <a href="https://theconversation.com/ai-art-is-everywhere-right-now-even-experts-dont-know-what-it-will-mean-189800">incredible art</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/breast-cancer-diagnosis-by-ai-now-as-good-as-human-experts-115487">diagnose cancers</a> and compose music. There’s no doubt AI systems appear to be “intelligent” to some extent. But could they ever be as intelligent as humans? There’s a term for this: artificial general intelligence (AGI). Although it’s a broad concept, for simplicity you can think of AGI as the point at which AI acquires human-like generalised cognitive capabilities. In other words, it’s the point where AI can tackle any intellectual task a human can. AGI isn’t here yet; current AI models are held back by a lack of certain human traits such as true creativity and emotional awareness. We asked five experts if they think AI will ever reach AGI, and five out of five said yes. But there are subtle differences in how they approach the question. From their responses, more questions emerge. When might we achieve AGI? Will it go on to surpass humans? And what constitutes “intelligence”, anyway? Here are their detailed responses. Paul Formosa: AI and Philosophy of Technology AI has already achieved and surpassed human intelligence in many tasks. It can beat us at strategy games such as Go, chess, StarCraft and Diplomacy, outperform us on many <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-022-34591-0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">language performance</a>benchmarks, and write <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2022/12/chatgpt-ai-writing-college-student-essays/672371/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">passable undergraduate</a> university essays. Of course, it can also make things up, or “hallucinate”, and get things wrong – but so can humans (although not in the same ways). Given a long enough timescale, it seems likely AI will achieve AGI, or “human-level intelligence”. That is, it will have achieved proficiency across enough of the interconnected domains of intelligence humans possess. Still, some may worry that – despite AI achievements so far – AI will not really be “intelligent” because it doesn’t (or can’t) understand what it’s doing, since it isn’t conscious. However, the rise of AI suggests we can have intelligence without consciousness, because intelligence can be understood in functional terms. An intelligent entity can do intelligent things such as learn, reason, write essays, or use tools. The AIs we create may never have consciousness, but they are increasingly able to do intelligent things. In some cases, they already do them at a level beyond us, which is a trend that will likely continue. Christina Maher: Computational Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering AI will achieve human-level intelligence, but perhaps not anytime soon. Human-level intelligence allows us to reason, solve problems and make decisions. It requires many cognitive abilities including adaptability, social intelligence and learning from experience. AI already ticks many of these boxes. What’s left is for AI models to learn inherent human traits such as critical reasoning, and understanding what emotion is and which events might prompt it. As humans, we learn and experience these traits from the moment we’re born. Our first experience of “happiness” is too early for us to even remember. We also learn critical reasoning and emotional regulation throughout childhood, and develop a sense of our “emotions” as we interact with and experience the world around us. Importantly, it can take many years for the human brain to develop such intelligence. AI hasn’t acquired these capabilities yet. But if humans can learn these traits, AI probably can too – and maybe at an even faster rate. We are still discovering how AI models should be built, trained, and interacted with in order to develop such traits in them. Really, the big question is not if AI will achieve human-level intelligence, but when – and how. Seyedali Mirjalili: AI and Swarm Intelligence I believe AI will surpass human intelligence. Why? The past offers insights we can't ignore. A lot of people believed tasks such as playing computer games, image recognition and content creation (among others) could only be done by humans – but technological advancement proved otherwise. Today the rapid advancement and adoption of AI algorithms, in conjunction with an abundance of data and computational resources, has led to a level of intelligence and automation previously unimaginable. If we follow the same trajectory, having more generalised AI is no longer a possibility, but a certainty of the future. It is just a matter of time. AI has advanced significantly, but not yet in tasks requiring intuition, empathy and creativity, for example. But breakthroughs in algorithms will allow this. Moreover, once AI systems achieve such human-like cognitive abilities, there will be a snowball effect and AI systems will be able to improve themselves with minimal to no human involvement. This kind of “automation of intelligence” will profoundly change the world. Artificial general intelligence remains a significant challenge, and there are ethical and societal implications that must be addressed very carefully as we continue to advance towards it. Dana Rezazadegan: AI and Data Science Yes, AI is going to get as smart as humans in many ways – but exactly how smart it gets will be decided largely by advancements in <a href="https://thequantuminsider.com/2020/01/23/four-ways-quantum-computing-will-change-artificial-intelligence-forever/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">quantum computing</a>. Human intelligence isn’t as simple as knowing facts. It has several aspects such as creativity, emotional intelligence and intuition, which current AI models can mimic, but can’t match. That said, AI has advanced massively and this trend will continue. Current models are limited by relatively small and biased training datasets, as well as limited computational power. The emergence of quantum computing will transform AI’s capabilities. With quantum-enhanced AI, we’ll be able to feed AI models multiple massive datasets that are comparable to humans’ natural multi-modal data collection achieved through interacting with the world. These models will be able to maintain fast and accurate analyses. Having an advanced version of continual learning should lead to the development of highly sophisticated AI systems which, after a certain point, will be able to improve themselves without human input. As such, AI algorithms running on stable quantum computers have a high chance of reaching something similar to generalised human intelligence – even if they don’t necessarily match every aspect of human intelligence as we know it. Marcel Scharth: Machine Learning and AI Alignment I think it’s likely AGI will one day become a reality, although the timeline remains highly uncertain. If AGI is developed, then surpassing human-level intelligence seems inevitable. Humans themselves are proof that highly flexible and adaptable intelligence is allowed by the laws of physics. There’s no <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church%E2%80%93Turing_thesis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fundamental reason</a> we should believe that machines are, in principle, incapable of performing the computations necessary to achieve human-like problem solving abilities. Furthermore, AI has <a href="https://philarchive.org/rec/SOTAOA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">distinct advantages</a> over humans, such as better speed and memory capacity, fewer physical constraints, and the potential for more rationality and recursive self-improvement. As computational power grows, AI systems will eventually surpass the human brain’s computational capacity. Our primary challenge then is to gain a better understanding of intelligence itself, and knowledge on how to build AGI. Present-day AI systems have many limitations and are nowhere near being able to master the different domains that would characterise AGI. The path to AGI will likely require unpredictable breakthroughs and innovations. The median predicted date for AGI on <a href="https://www.metaculus.com/questions/5121/date-of-artificial-general-intelligence/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Metaculus</a>, a well-regarded forecasting platform, is 2032. To me, this seems too optimistic. A 2022 <a href="https://aiimpacts.org/2022-expert-survey-on-progress-in-ai/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">expert survey</a> estimated a 50% chance of us achieving human-level AI by 2059. I find this plausible. Image credits: Shutterstock This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/will-ai-ever-reach-human-level-intelligence-we-asked-5-experts-202515" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Technology

Jacinda Ardern delivers emotional farewell speech

Jacinda Ardern stepped down from her position as New Zealand’s prime minister and delivered her final speech in parliament on Wednesday. In her final address to the country, Ardern reflected on the “privilege and responsibility” that comes with being prime minister, and shared both her political achievements and battles she faced during her career. “It was a cross between a sense of duty to steer a moving freight train... and being hit by one,” she described her first entry into politics. “And that's probably because my internal reluctance to lead was matched only by a huge sense of responsibility,” she added. She then shared the reasons why she got into politics in the first place, before reflecting on the events that have defined her legacy. “The reasons I came here … they’re all there in my maiden speech – climate change, child poverty, inequality. I am, after all, a conviction-based politician,” she said. In her speech, she also asked the parliament to “please take the politics out of climate change,” and mentioned that it is a “crisis” that is upon us. Ardern proceeded to reflect on her time as prime minister, where she faced many challenges including navigating natural disasters, the pandemic, and the Christchurch massacre, which had left her “bereft”. She added that during these series of events she found herself “in people’s lives during their most grief-stricken or traumatic moments.” Ardern’s voice was thick with emotion as she recalled meeting the survivors of the mosque terror attacks. “Having sadly seen our nation in horrific moments of grief, I've concluded that countries don't move on from tragedy, rather they become part of your psyche,” she said. Ardern ended her speech with the hope that leaders shouldn’t be afraid to be kind and sensitive, as they can also be hallmarks of good leadership. “I cannot determine what will define my time in this place, but I do hope I've demonstrated something else entirely - that you can be anxious, sensitive, kind and wear your heart on your sleeve,” she said. Ardern left to thunderous applause and a standing ovation, as members of the parliament sang traditional Māori songs. Image: Getty

Retirement Life

Groom accused of ‘copying’ wedding speech from popular Pinterest post

Footage from an influencer couple’s wedding has gone viral for the wrong reasons. Jadé Tuncdoruk, 27, and Lachie Brycki, 29 tied the knot at Krinklewood Vineyard in the Hunter Valley last October. Tuncdoruk posted a TikTok of unseen footage from her husband’s wedding speech, which now has over 10 million views and a lot of comments accusing Brycki of ‘copying’ part of his speech. "Still can't believe I get to call this man my husband," Tuncdoruk captioned the TikTok. The clip showed Brycki telling his wife: "When I say I love you more, I don't mean I love you more than you love me. I mean I love you more than the bad days ahead of us. I love you more than any fight we will ever have." “I love you more than the distance between us; I love you more than any obstacle that could try and come between us,” Brycki added through tears. <div><iframe title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7209976950939503873&display_name=tiktok&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40jadetunchy%2Fvideo%2F7209976950939503873&image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign-sg.tiktokcdn.com%2Fobj%2Ftos-alisg-p-0037%2FoEYIEikiDeAq7DBgQRVnQqX2vmeStHkdiBFbB9%3Fx-expires%3D1679025600%26x-signature%3Dvbyp8NNEtpQaqo3t0%252FBlReUIVjM%253D&key=5b465a7e134d4f09b4e6901220de11f0&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> Some of Tuncdoruk’s followers were quick to point out that Brycki had used parts of a popular poem written by Erin Nicole, which has been posted all over Pinterest. "Why do I feel like I've heard this before?" commented one user. “I know people are saying let it go, but as a wedding vow, it needs to be personal. Copying the entire speech from a poem would make me feel loved less,” commented another user. "Pretty sure I heard that ‘I love you more bit’ on Pinterest. Thought that counts though," wrote a third. However, many others have shared their support for the couple and defended Brycki’s actions, acknowledging how hard it is to write a wedding speech. “Maybe writing original words wasn't his forte but he found words that expressed what he felt? And it's clearly genuine, look at him tearing up,” commented one user. “I think just because they aren't his words doesn't take away from the meaning of what he said. He clearly resonated with the poem and meant every word he said - his words or not,” wrote another. “He explained his love in words so so well. Just beautiful,” wrote a third. Images: TikTok

Relationships

5 tips to take the best care of your voice for everyone who sings, from a speech pathologist

The care of your singing voice is crucial to maintain a healthy and long-life voice. Professional singers often have teams of people keeping their voices healthy, and they have received lots of training in how to take care of their voice. But everyone who sings – from young students to passionate amateurs – should be taking care of their voice. If you are a singer, here are five crucial tips to prevent vocal problems. <h2>1. Keep hydrated</h2> Hydration is the most important fact to be considered when singing. When we are dehydrated, the biomechanical properties of our vocal folds are impacted, decreasing our vocal range and increasing the stress on these folds. Singers who do not hydrate well are <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2925668/">at risk</a> of developing voice disorders such as nodules and polyps. An easy way to stay hydrated is to keep up your water consumption. Singers can complement this by using nebulisers and humidifiers. Humidifiers balance out dry air caused by heating or air conditioning. Nebulisers assist with hydration directly. By breathing in a saline water solution or purified water, we can see an immediate influence on our vocal folds. You don’t need fancy equipment. You can also breathe in steam from boiled water. Make sure to be careful with the temperature, as steam can burn our airway when it is too hot. Pour boiled water into a bowl, wait 5-7 minutes, place a towel over your head and then breathe in as many times as you like. <h2>2. Warm-up and cool-down your voice</h2> Vocal warm-up and cool-down exercises are <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0892199717300176">crucial</a>: these will have a positive benefit on your voice in the moment and prevent future injuries. An easy warm-up you can try only requires a straw. With a straw between your lips into the air or a cup of water, make a “u” sound. Working for five minutes, change the pitch and frequency of making this sound. The added resistance of singing through a straw will give your vocal folds a good work out. You can also add resistance by speaking or singing into a CPR mask. Other exercises don’t require these materials. You can try lips or tongue trills, humming and blowing raspberries. While there are many internet tutorials on how to do these exercises, I suggest you practise under professional supervision to avoid damaging your voice by going beyond your vocal limits. <h2>3. Watch your lifestyle factors</h2> Lifestyle is fundamental when taking care of our voices. In order to avoid injuries or develop any voice disorders, we should monitor external factors such as maintaining <a href="https://wp.stolaf.edu/musician-health/nutrition-eating-and-singing/">a balanced diet</a>, having <a href="https://wp.stolaf.edu/musician-health/resting-your-voice/">periods of rest</a> and reducing the consumption of <a href="https://tobaccofreelife.org/resources/smoking-singing/">cigarettes</a>, <a href="https://www.openmicuk.co.uk/advice/alcohol-and-singers/">alcohol</a>, <a href="https://www.openmicuk.co.uk/advice/how-much-can-recreational-drugs-affect-singing/">drugs</a>, <a href="https://www.openmicuk.co.uk/advice/is-coffee-good-or-bad-for-singers/">caffeine</a> and <a href="https://www.openmicuk.co.uk/advice/are-fizzy-drinks-good-or-bad-for-singers/">soft drinks</a>. By changing these habits, you can preserve good vocal health and keep your body running properly. You can also guard against developing reflux. Reflux occurs when acids from your stomach travel back up your throat. Symptoms include a burning sensation in your chest (heartburn), backwash (regurgitation) of food or sour liquid, upper abdominal or chest pain, trouble swallowing (dysphagia) or a sensation of a lump in your throat. This stomach acid can <a href="http://www.healthsystem.virginia.edu/docs/per/diet-tips-for-gastroesophageal-reflux-disease-gerd/handout_view_patient/@@getDocument">dry and irritate</a> your vocal folds. If you do experience any of these symptoms, keep up your water intake, try to avoid lying down for at least two to three hours after a meal and keep your head elevated using an extra pillow or two while you sleep. If these symptoms persist, visit your doctor for further examination. <h2>4. Listen to your body</h2> Sometimes our body sends signals when struggling. We should pay close attention to what our bodies are telling us. Negative warning signs can include a reduced tonal range, constant throat clearing, vocal fatigue, pain during or after singing or talking, mild or moderate abdominal tension, unstable voice, pitch breaks, difficulty singing or speaking softly. Speaking or singing should not present with any negative symptoms or conditions. It’s important to note home remedies like tea with honey, lemon and ginger, and gargles with salty water – or even alcohol – <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-actually-fix-a-lost-voice-according-to-science-hint-lemon-and-honey-doesnt-work-158230">do not</a> fix your voice. These will go directly to the oesophagus and will not have any effect on your vocal folds. If you are experiencing symptoms like these, pay more attention to things like your warm up, your cool down, periods of rest and your levels of hydration. If they persist, visit a doctor or a speech pathologist. <h2>5. See a professional</h2> Don’t try and push through any pain or difficulties you are facing. When facing any vocal difficulty, you should visit an ear, nose and throat doctor (ENT) or a speech pathologist. An ENT can check your larynx and other structures to make sure you do not have any organic or functional disorders impacting your voice. If you would like to practise new techniques – like belting or voice distortions – consult with voice specialists like speech pathologists, vocal coaches or music teachers who are experts on these areas. Last but not least, check your voice with professionals once a year. This will help with the prevention of future injuries and help you maintain a healthy voice. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/5-tips-to-take-the-best-care-of-your-voice-for-everyone-who-sings-from-a-speech-pathologist-193222" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Music

Humans are still hunting for aliens. Here’s how astronomers are looking for life beyond Earth

We have long been fascinated with the idea of alien life. The earliest written record presenting the idea of “aliens” is seen in the satiric work of Assyrian writer <a href="https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/life-unbounded/the-first-alien/">Lucian of Samosata</a> dated to 200 AD. In one novel, Lucian <a href="https://www.yorku.ca/inpar/lucian_true_tale.pdf">writes of a journey to the Moon</a> and the bizarre life he imagines living there – everything from three-headed vultures to fleas the size of elephants. Now, 2,000 years later, we still write stories of epic adventures beyond Earth to meet otherworldly beings (<a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Hitchhikers-Guide-to-the-Galaxy-novel-by-Adams">Hitchhiker’s Guide</a>, anyone?). Stories like these entertain and inspire, and we are forever trying to find out if science fiction will become science fact. <h2>Not all alien life is the same</h2> When looking for life beyond Earth, we are faced with two possibilities. We might find basic microbial life hiding somewhere in our Solar System; or we will identify signals from intelligent life somewhere far away. <div data-id="17"> </div> Unlike in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Star-Wars-film-series">Star Wars</a>, we’re not talking far, far away in another galaxy, but rather around other nearby stars. It is this second possibility which really excites me, and should excite you too. A detection of intelligent life would fundamentally change how we see ourselves in the Universe. In the last 80 years, programs dedicated to the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) have worked tirelessly searching for cosmic “hellos” in the form of radio signals. The reason we think any intelligent life would communicate via radio waves is due to the waves’ ability to travel vast distances through space, rarely interacting with the dust and gas in between stars. If anything out there is trying to communicate, it’s a pretty fair bet they would do it through radio waves. <h2>Listening to the stars</h2> One of the most exciting searches to date is <a href="https://breakthroughinitiatives.org/initiative/1">Breakthrough Listen</a>, the largest scientific research program dedicated to looking for evidence of intelligent life beyond Earth. This is one of many projects funded by US-based Israeli entrepreneurs Julia and Yuri Milner, with some serious dollars attached. Over a ten-year period a total amount of <a href="https://breakthroughinitiatives.org/initiative/1">US$100 million</a> will be invested in this effort, and they have a mighty big task at hand. Breakthrough Listen is currently targeting the closest one million stars in the hope of identifying any unnatural, alien-made radio signals. Using telescopes around the globe, from the 64-metre Murriyang Dish (Parkes) here in Australia, to the 64-antenna MeerKAT array in South Africa, the search is one of epic proportions. But it isn’t the only one. Hiding away in the Cascade Mountains north of San Francisco sits the <a href="https://www.seti.org/ata">Allen Telescope Array</a>, the first radio telescope built from the ground up specifically for SETI use. This unique facility is another exciting project, able to search for signals every day of the year. This project is currently upgrading the hardware and software on the original dish, including the ability to target several stars at once. This is a part of the non-profit research organisation, the SETI Institute. <h2>Space lasers!</h2> The SETI Institute is also looking for signals that would be best explained as “space lasers”. Some astronomers hypothesise that intelligent beings might use massive lasers to communicate or even to propel spacecraft. This is because even here on Earth we’re investigating <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2022/the-future-of-laser-communications/">laser communication</a> and laser-propelled <a href="https://www.insidescience.org/news/new-light-sail-design-would-use-laser-beam-ride-space">light sails</a>. To search for these mysterious flashes in the night sky, we need speciality instruments in locations around the globe, which are currently being developed and deployed. This is a research area I’m excited to watch progress and eagerly await results. As of writing this article, sadly no alien laser signals have been found yet. <h2>Out there, somewhere</h2> It’s always interesting to ponder who or what might be living out in the Universe, but there is one problem we must overcome to meet or communicate with aliens. It’s the speed of light. Everything we rely on to communicate via space requires light, and it can only travel so fast. This is where my optimism for finding intelligent life begins to fade. The Universe is big – really big. To put it in perspective, humans started using radio waves to communicate across large distances in 1901. That <a href="https://ethw.org/Milestones:Reception_of_Transatlantic_Radio_Signals,_1901">first transatlantic signal</a> has only travelled 122 light years, reaching just 0.0000015% of the stars in our Milky Way. Did your optimism just fade too? That is okay, because here is the wonderful thing… we don’t have to find life to know it is out there, somewhere. When we consider the <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-many-stars-are-there-in-space-165370">trillions of galaxies</a>, septillion of stars, and likely many more planets just in the observable Universe, it feels near impossible that we are alone. We can’t fully constrain the parameters we need to estimate how many other lifeforms might be out there, as famously proposed by Frank Drake, but using our best estimates and <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/international-journal-of-astrobiology/article/numerical-testbed-for-hypotheses-of-extraterrestrial-life-and-intelligence/0C97E7803EEB69323C3728F02BA31AFA">simulations</a> the current best answer to this is tens of thousands of possible civilisations out there. The Universe <a href="https://theconversation.com/is-space-infinite-we-asked-5-experts-165742">might even be infinite</a>, but that is too much for my brain to comprehend on a weekday. <h2>Don’t forget the tiny aliens</h2> So, despite keenly listening for signals, we might not find intelligent life in our lifetimes. But there is hope for aliens yet. The ones hiding in plain sight, on the planetary bodies of our Solar System. In the coming decades we’ll explore the moons of Jupiter and Saturn like never before, with missions hunting to find traces of basic life. Mars will continue to be explored – eventually by humans – which could allow us to uncover and retrieve samples from new and unexplored regions. Even if our future aliens are only tiny microbes, it would still be nice to know we have company in this Universe. Images: Getty <em style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, 'system-ui', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji'; font-size: 16px; background-color: #ffffff;">This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/humans-are-still-hunting-for-aliens-heres-how-astronomers-are-looking-for-life-beyond-earth-197621" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Technology

Harry Styles' Grammy award acceptance speech causes backlash

Harry Styles has come under fire for an off-handed comment he made during his Grammy Awards acceptance speech. The former One Direction member won the biggest award of the night, taking home the trophy for Album of the Year for his 2022 masterpiece Harry’s House. The 29-year-old took to the stage with his musical collaborators to accept the award, giving a speech of thanks to those who have inspired him along his musical journey. However, a fleeting comment he made has caused outrage, telling the audience, “This doesn’t happen to people like me very often.” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Harry Styles accepts the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Grammy?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Grammy</a> for Album of the Year. <a href="https://t.co/yom28xGdvk">https://t.co/yom28xGdvk</a> <a href="https://t.co/0037FGJ52C">pic.twitter.com/0037FGJ52C</a> — Variety (@Variety) <a href="https://twitter.com/Variety/status/1622456380522385408?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2023</a></blockquote> The statement raised eyebrows, with many encouraging Harry to check his privilege. Much of the criticism came from people who believed Beyoncé should’ve won the award, saying Harry’s comment was coming from a place of white privilege. Only three black women have won Album of the Year in the Grammys’ 65-year history, and it’s been 24 years since a black woman took home the prized award, when Lauryn Hill won for The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill in 1999. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Harry styles said “this doesn’t happen to people like me very often” and I gotta be honest I can’t think of a type of people this happens for more — hey man nice tweet (@jazz_inmypants) <a href="https://twitter.com/jazz_inmypants/status/1622458638878101505?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2023</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> “this doesn’t happen to people like me very often” IT LITERALLY ONLY HAPPENS TO PEOPLE LIKE YOU???? — َ (@ungodlywests) <a href="https://twitter.com/ungodlywests/status/1622455999511552005?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2023</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> “this doesn’t happen to people like me often” who, white british men? 😭 — no (@zedonarrival) <a href="https://twitter.com/zedonarrival/status/1622456047775408129?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2023</a></blockquote> Despite the backlash, Harry’s House was the second <a href="https://toofab.com/2022/12/31/top-5-most-streamed-albums-of-2022/#:~:text=Bad%20Bunny%20sat%20at%20the,third%20year%20in%20a%20row.">most streamed</a> album of 2022, while Beyoncé’s Renaissance album didn’t even crack the top five. While other fans continued their tirade about his speech, die-hard Harry Styles fans rushed to his defence, with one person writing on Twitter, “Harry Styles gave THIS humble speech and people are hating on him because their fave didn’t win?? He deserved this Grammy more than anything so respectfully, get over yourselves.” Another fan said, “It's not cool to hate on Harry Styles just because he won the Grammy you wanted someone else to win, so ZZZZZZ for that honestly. He had one of the biggest albums and singles of the year, the math IS ACTUALLY MATHING.” One person, who is seemingly well-versed in the world of online fan culture, summed up the discourse perfectly, saying, “Harry could give the nicest speech in the world, & be a genuine a** person and you got twitter warriors picking apart everything he says to make it negative. Y’all are actually miserable.” Image credits: Getty Images

Music

Queen Elizabeth’s 21st birthday speech edited in Harry and Meghan doco

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s new documentary has edited the Queen’s 21st birthday speech to give it a completely new meaning. The first three episodes of the Sussexes new documentary Harry and Meghan have now aired on Netflix. And now voice coach Susie Ashfield has pointed out that in the first episode, the Queen's speech – in which she says “whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service and to the service of our great Imperial family to which we all belong” – is included. Then she takes viewers to episode three, in which the Queen’s speech has been edited, giving it a completely new meaning. “I declare before you all that my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to the service of our great Imperial family to which we all belong.” She shared another video showing glaring edits of the late Monarch titled: “The Queen Vs Netflix. Spot the difference…”. “I wasn't going to say anything about the Harry and Meghan Netflix documentary because it's nothing to do with me,” she said. "I'm a communications coach. I help people make speeches." <p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #323338; font-family: Roboto, Rubik, 'Noto Kufi Arabic', 'Noto Sans JP', sans-serif; background-color: #ffffff; outline: none !important;"> <div class="embed" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important;"><iframe class="embedly-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; border-style: initial; vertical-align: baseline; width: 619px; max-width: 100%; outline: none !important;" title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7176949431789505798&display_name=tiktok&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40royal_family_2022%2Fvideo%2F7176949431789505798%3Fis_copy_url%3D1%26is_from_webapp%3Dv1%26q%3DSusie%2520Ashfield%2520%26t%3D1671075706777&image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign-va.tiktokcdn.com%2Fobj%2Ftos-maliva-p-0068%2F76ca61686cde4add87422c08f0ebf380_1671013766%3Fx-expires%3D1671094800%26x-signature%3Da9QorsOB83kO1sfr6MVMnQwclsE%253D&key=5b465a7e134d4f09b4e6901220de11f0&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> “But I really like speeches, which is why when somebody told me about some potential editing that might have happened on the Queen's 21st birthday speech. I had to check it out. “So let's play a game together. Spot the difference,” she said, before showing part of the Queen's unedited speech. “I should like to make that dedication now, it is very simple,” Queen Elizabeth II is heard saying. “I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service, and to the service of our great Imperial family to which we all belong.” Susie then points out: “That was the original, unedited copy and the transcript reads the same. Now let's look at Harry and Meghan's version." The Queen’s voice is then heard saying: “I declare before you all that my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to the service of our great Imperial family to which we all belong. “Did you hear the difference?" asks Susie. "And did you notice how just removing a few words changes the meaning of the statement entirely?" The words 'to your service and' were edited out of the Queen's speech. “I don't know what the lesson to learn is here, but I suppose if you are going to be speaking and it will be recorded there is a chance you will get misquoted, your words might get taken out of context or in this case some part might be removed to change the meaning of the statement itself. “So try not to let that happen to you. And if it does happen to you, remember there will be some people out there who might notice.” Images: TikTok/Getty

We can pretty accurately tell when a human or dog is happy, but not so much with aggression

Humans are terrible at understanding aggressive characteristics in dogs — and unfortunately, in other humans. Being able to correctly interpret social interactions is an important skill that allows humans to react appropriately in different situations. But, research from the Dog Studies Research group at the Max Planck Institute for Geoanthropology in Germany shows while we’re generally clued in to distinguishing the nature of social interactions between children, dogs, and monkeys, we suck at identifying negative behaviour in dogs and humans. Researchers presented 96 adults with short video clips of aggressive, neutral, and playful interactions between two individuals in three different species: human children, dogs, and macaques. The clips included clues, such as body postures and facial expressions, but ended before the interaction took place. Half the study participants were asked to categorise the interaction as aggressive, neutral, or playful, while the other half were asked to predict the outcome from three sentences prepared by the experimenters describing the three possible outcomes. The researchers found that people performed better than chance for both tasks, even without prior experiences with the non-human species. They selected the correct choice of the three outcomes in 50–80% of interactions and were most accurate in categorising playful interactions, which they correctly identified 70% of the time. This wasn’t the case for predicting aggressive outcomes in humans and in pooches in particular. Participants rated aggressive contexts among dogs at chance level, and predicted outcomes below chance level. “It is possible that we are biased to assume good intentions from other humans and from ‘man’s best friend’,” says first author Dr Theresa Epperlein the DogStudies Research group in the Max Planck Institute for Geoanthropology, Germany. “Perhaps this bias prevents us from recognising aggressive situations in these species.” “Our results underscore the fact that social interactions can often be ambiguous and suggest that accurately predicting outcomes may be more advantageous than categorising emotional contexts,” adds senior author Dr Juliane Bräuer, DogStudies Research Group Leader. The research has been <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0277783" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">published</a> in the journal PLOS ONE. <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=227826&title=We+can+pretty+accurately+tell+when+a+human+or+dog+is+happy%2C+but+not+so+much+with+aggression" width="1" height="1" data-spai-target="src" data-spai-orig="" data-spai-exclude="nocdn" /> <div id="contributors"> <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/people/human-dogs-aggressive/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">This article</a> was originally published on Cosmos Magazine and was written by Imma Perfetto. Image: Getty Images </div>

Family & Pets

Drop that bass (below the level of human hearing) to get bodies on the dance floor moving

People dance nearly 12% more when music includes very low frequency bass but researchers have found that it may be the sounds we don’t hear that gets our toes tapping. This is interesting news for those who’ve had an experience at a party, celebration or club when the music’s groove just isn’t making your body move and who might be tempted to reach for the nearest beverage to lubricate our joints. But maybe there’s a solution which is more subtle – and less liable to cause headaches the next day… It seems, as Meghan Trainor correctly observed in 2014, that it really is “All About That Bass.” Now, it is no revelation that bass-driven music is good for a boogie. Trainor certainly wasn’t the first to discover this critical component of the rhythm section. Researchers from Canada and Germany turned a live electronic music concert into a lab study, to find out how different qualities of music influence the body. Their results are <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2022.09.035%20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">published</a> in Current Biology. The researchers introduced over speakers levels of bass below human hearing levels. This super low pitch infrasound is made up of wavelengths of sound too long for our ears to pick up. Infrasound is common in whale song and other parts of the animal and natural world. Monitoring the crowd’s movements, the scientists found that people danced 11.8% more when the very low frequency bass was present. “I’m trained as a drummer, and most of my research career has been focused on the rhythmic aspects of music and how they make us move,” says first author Daniel Cameron, a neuroscientist from Canada’s McMaster University. “Music is a biological curiosity – it doesn’t reproduce us, it doesn’t feed us, and it doesn’t shelter us, so why do humans like it and why do they like to move to it?” Cameron and colleagues treated participants in the study to a 45-minute live set by electronic musical duo Orphx at LIVELab, a research theatre at the University. Donning motion-sensing headbands, the concert-goers’ dance moves were monitored. They were also asked to fill out survey forms before and after to ensure they didn’t detect the infrasound, to measure their enjoyment, and examine how the music felt physically. Turning the ultra-low bass playing speakers on and off every two minutes, the researchers found movement increased by 12% when the speakers were on. Vibrations experienced through touch and interactions between the inner ear and brain are closely linked to the motor system. The researchers theorise that there is a neurological link between these physiological processes and music. They believe that our anatomy can pick up on low frequencies, affecting our perception of “groove”, spontaneous movement and rhythm. Cameron suggests that the super-low frequencies may influence the vestibular system which controls body position and movement through the inner ear. “Very low frequencies may also affect vestibular sensitivity, adding to people’s experience of movement. Nailing down the brain mechanisms involved will require looking the effects of low frequencies on the vestibular, tactile, and auditory pathways,” says Cameron. Image credits: Getty Images  <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=222462&title=Drop+that+bass+%28below+the+level+of+human+hearing%29+to+get+bodies+on+the+dance+floor+moving" width="1" height="1" />  <div id="contributors"> This article was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/people/bass-dance-more/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cosmosmagazine.com</a> and was written by Evrim Yazgin. </div>

Music

Evidence that human evolution driven by major environmental pressures discovered

The genes of ancient humans might have changed substantially due to environmental pressures and change, say an international team of researchers. A widely held belief related to human evolution is that our ancient ancestors’ ability to fashion tools, shelter, and use advanced communication skills may have helped to shield them from large environmental impacts such as changing climate, disease and exposure to other events affecting mortality. But research led out of Australian Centre for Ancient DNA at the University of Adelaide suggests that beneficial genes may have played a more important role in preserving our ancestors. Until now, the sudden increase in frequency of these genes in human groups was masked by the exchange of DNA between people during reproduction. Now, analyses of more than one thousand ancient genomes dating as far back as 45,000 years ago have found historic signals showing genetic adaptation was more common than previously thought. The study of evolutionary events, says the study’s co-lead author Dr Yassine Souilmi, has increased substantially in recent years, as these are the points where human genetics take historic turns. “Evolutionary events [are] exactly what shape our genetic diversity today,” Souilmi tells Cosmos. “That’s what makes us vulnerable to certain diseases [and] resistant to others. “Having a good understanding of evolution, we can have a better understanding of who we are.” Previous research by the Centre has uncovered a range of evolutionary trends, from historic climate change causing the demise of ancestral lions and bears, to the first interactions between humans and coronaviruses 20,000 years ago. And the broader field of research into ancient DNA has shed light on important moments in human history. Only recently did analyses of ancient genes uncover locations on the human genome associated with surviving Yersinia pestis – the bacterium that causes the bubonic plague. <h2>Single events probably triggered selection</h2> This study, published in Nature Ecology and Evolution, has similarly found environmental events might have been more influential on evolution among Eurasian groups. Such events might lead to a point of natural selection. Take, for instance, the emergence of a pathogen. If such a disease could kill people, those who managed to survive and continue reproducing would pass down favourable traits to subsequent generations. “Natural selection acts in two different mechanisms,” says Souilmi. “It only cares about whether you’re procreating successfully… when it acts, it’s either killing a lot of people, [preventing] some people from reproducing successfully, or some people are just not finding mates because they have some sort of ailment that’s not allowing them to mate successfully, or might make them undesirable. “What we’re finding is that the signal of natural selection we detected in this [research] was likely a single event, because the signal is clustered in time in a very early migration out of Africa. “Not all of the [events] we detected occurred at the same time, but the bulk of them did.” <h2>A mirror to the present</h2> This ‘agnostic’ study did not seek to identify the external pressures leading to the selection events indicated in these ancient genes, but future research by the team will seek to uncover that information. Studies like this, or those into specific pressures like the influence of the Black Death or coronaviruses on humans, show the impact of environmental change on our genetics. Souilmi says this is both insightful and cautionary, as environmental change in the present could be studied by humans in the future. He speculates that changes in the Earth’s climate, or the emergence of new pathogens, likely imposed selection pressures on ancient groups, whether through forcing shortages or changes to food supply or imposing physiological stressors. “Very likely, it’s the environment, the temperature, the weather patterns, that would have somewhat impacted the dietary regime of our ancestors out of Africa, and pathogens would have driven this [genetic] adaptation, which has shaped our genetic diversity now,” Souilmi says. “The direct lesson, socially, now, is that if we’re ever faced with events that are similar to that, we are not as immune to extreme episodes of adaptation where a lot of people might die, or be unable to reproduce. “Unless we do something to counteract the environmental changes, or viruses, bacterial or other pandemics, it could be a bad thing.” This article originally appeared on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/science/human-evolution-driven-by-environment/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cosmosmagazine.com</a> and was written by Matthew Agius. Image: Shutterstock

Body

Bridesmaid "horrifies" viewers with "cringe" wedding speech

A "horrifying" wedding speech has gone viral online, as a bridesmaid delivered an "awkward" toast to her friend and her new husband. The video, which was originally posted on TikTok, has racked up hundreds of thousands of views, shows a bridesmaid named Shannon standing in front of the congregation to toast the newlyweds. In what should have been an emotional, wholesome speech, it instead got off to a bad start when she appeared to forget how long she's known the bride for. “Hi, I’m Shannon, I’ve known Tracy for...oh god...” she started, before a voice off-camera suggests it’s been nine years. “I don’t quite know Anthony that well,” the woman continued, alluding to the groom. “But Tracy talks about you non-stop. She’d be like ‘Oh, Anthony this, Anthony that’, and I’m like, ‘I don’t care’.” Shannon's fake eye-roll didn't get a laugh from the crowd, as she insisted, "Just kidding!" <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> What…the hell…did I just watch? <a href="https://t.co/smfqexmcsz">pic.twitter.com/smfqexmcsz</a> — chris evans (@notcapnamerica) <a href="https://twitter.com/notcapnamerica/status/1585151254464196608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 26, 2022</a></blockquote> She continued, “You guys are so cute together.” After telling the groom he’d “better take care of my girl”, Shannon turned to the crowd and said, “I’m not gonna be racist, guys, I’m just saying.” “You guys are outstepping the stereotype and I love it." “You guys, I swear, I love Black people. You guys. Are. The. Best.” Shannon went on to say, “My own daughter’s great-aunt is like, the best woman” before concluding, “You guys are amazing, I love you.” As the video made the rounds online, viewers couldn't believe what they were watching. “What…the hell…did I just watch?” one person asked. “I actually gasped out loud! What in the actual hell??” another weighed in. <div> “Wtaf?! I thought you were just sharing a cringy public speaking clip and that was bad enough, but...then...it took a turn,” another wrote. Image credits: TikTok </div>

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Groom accused of ‘copying’ wedding speech from popular Pinterest post

5 tips to take the best care of your voice for everyone who sings, from a speech pathologist

Humans are still hunting for aliens. Here’s how astronomers are looking for life beyond Earth

Harry Styles' Grammy award acceptance speech causes backlash

Queen Elizabeth’s 21st birthday speech edited in Harry and Meghan doco

We can pretty accurately tell when a human or dog is happy, but not so much with aggression

Drop that bass (below the level of human hearing) to get bodies on the dance floor moving

Evidence that human evolution driven by major environmental pressures discovered

Bridesmaid "horrifies" viewers with "cringe" wedding speech

News

Shop

Catalogues

Travel

Health

Lifestyle

Finance

Entertainment

Property

Information

Keep up to date

Search

Elephant tourism often involves cruelty – here are steps toward more humane, animal-friendly excursions

"Losing his speech": Home Alone star's major health update

"32 years of safe landings": Pilot's surprise speech reduces passengers to tears

If the world were coming to an end, what would be the most ethical way to rebuild humanity ‘off planet’?

10 reasons humans kill animals – and why we can’t avoid it

"Possibly carcinogenic to humans": WHO's dire warning over common ingredient

Human remains found in search for missing actor

“What a legend”: Groom exposes new wife’s affair during wedding speech

Tom Cruise’s unconventional acceptance speech

Will AI ever reach human-level intelligence? We asked 5 experts

Jacinda Ardern delivers emotional farewell speech

Groom accused of ‘copying’ wedding speech from popular Pinterest post

5 tips to take the best care of your voice for everyone who sings, from a speech pathologist

Humans are still hunting for aliens. Here’s how astronomers are looking for life beyond Earth

Harry Styles' Grammy award acceptance speech causes backlash

Queen Elizabeth’s 21st birthday speech edited in Harry and Meghan doco

We can pretty accurately tell when a human or dog is happy, but not so much with aggression

Drop that bass (below the level of human hearing) to get bodies on the dance floor moving

Evidence that human evolution driven by major environmental pressures discovered

Bridesmaid "horrifies" viewers with "cringe" wedding speech

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