By Cena, Although it sounds funny or weird, studies and experiments have demonstrated a closerelationship between health and love. It has been shown that the bonds offriendship, love and affection, enhance health and happiness. Some of the benefits of love on health are: improving attention, motivation and memory. There is a significant reduction in anxiety, stress and depression. Strengthens the immune system, dispels wrinkles and low levels of hypertension. Here are some findings that relate to health and love:
(1) Strengthens the immune system. Biochemical reactions experienced by the body of a person when being in love help improve health and help to "strengthen the immune system," according to experts. With love our quality of life is better and tend to get sick less, and that negative feelings are outweighed by the positive and our body works better.
(2) Influences on the rapid recovery. We have seen that sick people who have someone to love them and watch for them, have a faster recovery than patients who have no affection from anyone. (3) Improves quality of life. We are more likely to get sick and depressed when we have problems and we are alone. However, the love we prolong life. Being loved makes problems feel lighter with the support of others.
(4) Energy and stress. According to experts, the emotional well it feels like to be able to give love and helping others makes people feel more energy and fighting stress.
(5) A feeling of great comfort. From the endocrinological point of view, love brings change for the better. As Jesus says Dr. Rocca, Ricardo Palma Clinic, "the first thing you are beta releases endorphins that trigger when you're in love, and are responsible for the feeling of great comfort. (6) Love rejuvenates. "The hormones, the nervous system and skin, forming a narrow triangle, so the separation of estrogen in women improves hair, nails, skin," says Sandro Tucto dermatologist.
(7) Fewer doctor visits. Another study found that couples who have spent more time together, make fewer doctor visits. The psychiatrist Enrique Galli said that "stable relationships get colds less than singles, while elderly couples suffer less pain than the lonely elderly. This is due to segregation of hormones that allow for greater resistance to pain. "
(8) Making love, health benefits. Keeping sexually active and safe, influences our physical and emotional state is very important to our overall health. It is scientifically proven that people who frequently make love, get sick less and are happier. The list of health benefits that are attributed to sex as therapeutic activity include: well-being, improves self-esteem, makes you look younger, is a natural pain reliever, improves interpersonal relationships, reduces snoring, strengthens immune system, increases energy, relieves symptoms of depression, anxiety and psychosomatic disorders. So now you know, since love helps heal, self-medication is recommended a good dose of love every day to live healthy and happy. Source: Forum Human Health, Image: flickr.com
About one in four people regret at least one of their tattoos. Almost half of those go on to have their unwanted tattoo removed or camouflaged with a new one.
So it’s no wonder people are searching for laser tattoo removal services.
Here’s what to consider when choosing the best clinic and what to expect when you get there.
Why are tattoos permanent?
You can still see tattoos on the 5,300-year-old ice mummy Ötzi. That’s because tattoo artists use needles to deposit ink in the dermis, the layer of skin under the outer layer (or epidermis).
When this happens, the body recognises ink particles as “foreign”. So immune cells in the dermis, such as macrophages, take them up.
But the particles are too large for these specialised cells to break down and remove via the lymphatic system. Instead, the particles remain “locked” permanently in macrophages in the dermis.
Tattoo inks are inserted into the dermis, and tend to stay there. zonn hong/Shutterstock
How do lasers remove tattoos?
To remove a tattoo, a laser device delivers high-intensity laser pulses to the ink. These incredibly short pulses are delivered in a billionth or trillionth of a second (nanosecond or picosecond pulses), confining the laser energy to the tiny ink particles, minimising damage to the surrounding skin.
Once the ink particles absorb the laser energy, a thermal reaction takes place, increasing the particles’ internal pressure and causing them to expand, then fragment.
The macrophages can now remove these smaller particles via the lymphatic system. That’s when your tattoo starts to fade.
Can all inks be removed?
Most inks can be removed, but several factors affect the result.
Colours
Each colour absorbs a different wavelength of light, so each colour requires a specific laser to be removed effectively. This may require using several different machines over the course of the treatment.
Some colours are much more challenging to remove than others. For instance, black ink is much easier to remove than yellow, which is easier to remove than white. This is because different pigments (such as black) are more likely to absorb the laser’s energy than others (yellow or white).
As a result, tattoos with white ink particles often need extra therapies. These include ablative laser treatments, which vaporise the tissue containing the tattoo ink, and tattooing over the original tattoo with a saline solution, which helps to draw the tattoo out of the skin.
Tattoo inks can also be made up of many colours to achieve the desired shade.
For example, a red ink may have touches of yellow ink to create a poppy red. As the red particles are broken down, the yellow appears and must be treated with a different wavelength, sometimes requiring a different machine and extra sessions.
Your skin colour
Any laser that can target and destroy an ink particle can also target natural skin pigment and the cells that produce them. This can result in overheating of the skin, and in severe cases, damage or destruction of the cells that produce pigment. This causes the skin to either darken or lighten in response to the injury, sometimes permanently.
So it’s important to choose a tattoo removalist who not only knows how to operate the laser, but how to choose the right wavelengths and modify the treatment plan as the tattoo changes.
Choosing a tattoo removalist
Laser tattoo removal creates a controlled wound in your skin, so it’s important to choose the right service to get the result you want, without increasing your risk of complications.
But in Australia, there is no national regulation for laser tattoo removal services, so standardising practitioners’ education and the treatments they offer is an ongoing challenge. Instead, each state and territory either licenses its own practitioners, or has no licensing at all.
As there are no licensing requirements in Victoria, New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, South Australia and the Northern Territory, anyone can legally own and operate laser devices to remove tattoos there.
Not all tattoo removal services are licensed, so you’ll have to do some research before booking yourself in. Africa Studio/Shutterstock
But in Queensland, Tasmania and Western Australia, tattoo removal providers need a licence to operate and must have studied infection control, laser safety and tattoo removal. They also need to have many hours of supervised practical experience.
In unregulated states and territories, look for a practitioner with similar education and extensive practical experience, such as a bachelor-qualified dermal clinician.
How long will it take and how much will it cost?
Most tattoos require multiple sessions to be effectively removed. The inks and art style, as well as the tattoo size, play a big role in how many sessions it will take – and how much it will cost.
An experienced practitioner will use the Kirby-Desai scale – which includes noting your skin colour, body site, scarring, ink colour and density, and layering of ink – to estimate how many sessions your specific tattoo will need.
Typically, black fine-line tattoos are easier to remove than coloured high-density tattoos, such as a portrait or sleeve.
You’ll also need to allow time between sessions for your tattoo to recover, since the wound needs to heal before the next treatment.
After your laser treatment, your practitioner will advise you on how to manage the health of your skin. In many circumstances you will be asked to keep the area cool, and depending on the tissue response, you may need topical aftercare products (such as emollient creams and a protective hydrogel dressing) to keep the area clean and hydrated.
There are many variables that influence how quickly your tattoo will heal after treatment. This includes where the tattoo is (for instance, a chest tattoo heals faster than an ankle tattoo), the devices used, and your general health. The more compromised your health, the longer it will take to heal.
Watch out for allergies
Depositing tattoo ink in the dermis can cause acute and chronic skin reactions, including allergic or inflammatory reactions, infections, and hypersensitivity responses. So it’s important to tell your practitioner how your skin responded to the initial tattoo. That’s because you might be at risk of the same response again when the laser breaks down the tattoo ink.
An experienced practitioner will conduct a thorough consultation to ensure they identify any treatment risks. If necessary, they will work with your GP or dermatologist to ensure the safe removal of your tattoo.
Itanagar, (IANS): A Royal Bengal Tiger has been recorded at Arunachal Pradesh’s D Ering Memorial Wildlife Sanctuary for the first time in nearly two decades, with officials on Friday confirming the sighting through camera trap evidence collected inside the sanctuary near Pasighat.
An official of the Arunachal Pradesh Forest and Wildlife Department said that the sighting has been captured through camera trap surveys conducted in the Wildlife Sanctuary with technical support from the Ashoka Trust Research in Ecology and Environment (ATREE).
He said that the last confirmed tiger evidence inside DEMWS dates back to 2005, with only unverified sightings reported until around 2007-08.
The latest camera trap images convincingly established the tiger’s presence in the landscape, the official said.
A baseline survey published by the World Wide Fund (WWF) for Nature in 2014 had painted a grim picture, finding no pugmarks or camera trap evidence of tigers and citing rampant hunting by poachers as the likely cause of their disappearance.
The broader landscape had already been showing signs of renewed tiger activity -- as recently as January 2026, foresters of the Jonai forest range in Assam reported spotting pugmarks of an adult Royal Bengal Tiger in Kobu Chapori, a proposed reserve forest situated adjacent to the sanctuary along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh boundary. Divisional Forest Officer Kempi Ete described the moment as deeply moving.
“The return of the tiger after nearly two decades reflects the resilience of the ecosystem and the cumulative impact of sustained conservation efforts on the ground,” she said, crediting frontline forest staff, Eco-Development Committees and local community organisations for their sustained role in protecting the landscape.
The recent survey also documented the Critically Endangered Chinese Pangolin and the rare Endangered Hispid Hare, further reinforcing the ecological importance of the sanctuary's unique riparian grassland ecosystem, the only one of its kind among protected areas in Arunachal Pradesh.
Over the past year, forest officials had observed indirect signs suggesting possible tiger movement within the landscape. Earlier surveillance rounds failed to yield photographic proof, but officials pressed on with renewed intensity and persistence before finally recording the big cat on camera.
“Its a good news for us. The return of Royal Bengal Tiger in the Wild life sanctuary will attract tourists to visit the wildlife sanctuary. We are very much happy with the news,” said a wildlife expert.
The D Ering Memorial Wildlife Sanctuary, located around 13 km from Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh’s East Siang district, spans a protected area of about 190 square km.
It was established in 1978 and surrounded by the Siang and Sibya rivers, it is a key habitat for tigers, leopards, wild buffaloes and migratory birds.The Forest Department officials stated that they would continue to strengthen habitat protection, scientific monitoring and community-led conservation efforts aimed at ensuring long-term wildlife survival in the landscape. Royal Bengal Tiger spotted in Arunachal wildlife sanctuary after 20 years | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com
A leading English Newspaper of Australia 'Daily Telegraph' has reported that according to the latest survey, Australians derive true happiness by simply looking at their children's smile. According to Daily Telegraph, an exclusive survey has found that Australians are a happy bunch overall, thanks largely to their children, loving partners and good friends. The survey, in which around 2,000 persons participated, reveals that 56.8 percent respondents insisted that their children gave them the most joy while 50.3 percent said favoured to their partners. The survey, which was based on a scale from from "extremely happy" to "extremely unhappy" also revealed that three in five or 59.3 per cent, ranked spending time with friends highly. About 14 per cent said their jobs made them "extremely happy" while 7.7 per cent said that getting rid of their boss would improve their mood. '63.1 per cent respondents said more money might make them even happier while some said extra holidays and rest of them asserted to better health', the Daily Telegraph reported. Almost 70 per cent considered themselves happy people but opinions were evenly divided when it came to whether married or unmarried people were happier or which gender was more cheerful. 44 per cent asserted that money could buy happiness, 45 percent said it couldn't and 11.1 per cent were undecided. For 54.4 per cent of people those little bundles of joy are just that, while 45.6 per cent said childless people were happier. Baby boomers were believed to be the happiest age group. Source: Newstrack India
In a new study, scientists seeking to better understand how physical activity protects against neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s found it’s because exercise makes the brain larger.
2 to 3 days of moderate to vigorous physical activity was correlated to a significant increase in total brain matter and in specific regions like the temporal lobe and hippocampus.
To ensure the record is understood absolutely clearly—there’s no doubt that physical activity protects the brain from neurodegenerative diseases, including mild and severe cognitive impairment, Alzheimer’s, Parkinsons, and other forms of dementia.
The Canadian/American research team sought to better understand the mechanisms behind this effect.
Light physical activity, number of steps taken per day, and number of city blocks traversed per day, are all modalities that have been used to measure connections between physical activity and preventing these diseases, showing that even pedestrian, non-athletic, non-sportive activity can be neuroprotective in some cases.
One of the main culprits, in a positive sense, for this effect is brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). BDNF is released into the brain during periods of exercise where it lowers neuro-inflammation, improves synaptic connection, and performs other functions too numerous to list here.
The study benefitted from the use of a deep-learning neural network that allowed for multiple MRI scans of the same brain to be analyzed rapidly.
10,000 participants (and their brains) with an average age of 54, but ranging from 18 to 97, who were about half men and half women made up the study cohorts.
Exercise was self-reported—an inevitable flaw when conducting large population studies like this one. Participants were asked how many days of the week they engaged in 10 minutes or more of moderate or vigorous intensity exercise.
While previous studies quantified moderate and vigorous intensity through heartbeats per minute, this and other more modern studies simply define moderate as being engaged in physical activity and still being able to talk, but not being able to sing. Vigorous was defined as being in a state where only a few words could be spoken before pausing to breathe.
10,125 brain MRI scans were examined, and it was determined that a higher number of days of moderate to vigorous physical activity “predicted larger normalized brain volumes in multiple regions, including total gray matter volume, total white matter volume, hippocampus, frontal cortex, parietal lobes, and occipital lobe,” the authors wrote.
This was particularly true for the occipital lobe, parietal lobe, hippocampus, posterior cingulate, and temporal lobe, which all had correlative significance (also known as the p-value) of 6 or higher. A result of 6 or higher is typically when scientists begin to take notice of correlations—trained as they are to take them always with a grain of salt.
Brain matter and size are all predictors of better cognitive and neurological health as we age, while neurodegenerative diseases are often found in less-dense brains.
“The study included adults aged 18-97, showing it’s never too early or late to start,” wrote Chris Kresser, founder of the California Center for Functional Medicine, who was not involved in the study.
“While 75% of participants reported doing some regular physical activity, many didn’t meet standard exercise guidelines—yet still showed brain benefits. This adds to growing evidence that even modest physical activity can protect brain health.”
During adolescence, young people become especially sensitive to peer influence – more so than any other time in life.
So, how does this affect their mental health?
A new study from Finland, released today, analysed data from more than 600,000 young people born between 1985 and 2000 (meaning both millennials and early Gen Zs).
It found that people whose peers had been diagnosed with a mental health condition – such as anxiety or depression – were more likely to develop a mental health condition themselves.
The researchers say these findings support the idea of “social transmission” of mental health conditions. But we need to be careful: this doesn’t mean these conditions are “contagious” in the same way as an infectious disease.
Many other factors, including genetic predisposition, also play a role in teen mental health. The data also can’t tell us if the “peers” are actually friends. Let’s take a look.
Mental health conditions on the rise
Around the world, depression and anxiety are increasing among young people. In Australia, recent data shows rates of anxiety in young people have increased from 13% to 28% over the past 15 years, while suicide attempts have doubled.
Despite greater awareness and expanded mental health services, young people are experiencing more severe and complex mental health challenges than ever before.
We know both friends and family play an important role in mental health. Family factors – including genetics – and environmental influences – such as peer relationships – each uniquely shape the development of mental health conditions.
What the study did and what it found
The new Finnish study explored the relationship between young people’s mental health and that of their peers. It aimed to find out whether having a peer with a diagnosed mental health condition, or a peer with a family history of one, increases your own likelihood of a diagnosis.
The researchers did this by analysing nationwide data in Finland, including health records and school enrolments.
The study made some interesting key findings:
if you had a peer with a diagnosed mental health condition or a peer with diagnoses in their family – for example, anxiety – you were more likely to be diagnosed with this same condition
the effect was stronger among peers who attended the same school, rather than lived in the same area – particularly in later adolescence.
The authors conclude that the findings support the idea of “transmission” of mental health risk in adolescence.
But there are some important caveats
It’s important to note that terms like “transmission” or “contagion” are not used in the same way as for infectious diseases. You cannot “catch” a mental health condition.
Instead, these terms describe how emotions, behaviours and social norms can spread between peers over time and influence mental health. For example, if there is increased awareness of mental health and reduced stigma within a group of peers, people in that group may be more comfortable seeking help (although the study didn’t test this).
Importantly, peer relationships and genetic risk are part of a complex mix of factors that shape adolescent mental health.
Because this study defined peers by school year or location, findings likely reflect shared school and community influences. In other words, these “peers” were likely exposed to similar environmental conditions, ranging from school cultures and educational approaches to neighbourhood features such as green space.
What the study couldn’t measure
The size of this study is a key strength. However, because this is achieved by using “register data” such as health records, there are some constraints:
the data can’t tell you if people actually knew each other or were friends. So the study defined “peer networks” according to school (for example, those in the same grade and born in the same year) or where they lived (for example, people in the same postcode born in the same year)
“genetic risk” was inferred from family diagnoses, rather than DNA, and there may be various reasons someone with a mental health condition doesn’t get a diagnosis
the study couldn’t account for all the factors known to increase or lower someone’s risk of having a mental health condition. For example, it included someone’s sex, age and their parents’ income and education level. But it didn’t consider other factors known to play a role in adolescent mental health, such as their gender identity, ethnicity and what their school is like, as well as lifestyle behaviours, such as whether they smoke, drink alcohol or get regular exercise
the study also found that if someone’s peer had a family history of a mental health condition, such as a substance use disorder, they had a higher chance of receiving the same diagnosis. But because the data only looks at diagnosis, it can’t capture other factors which might better explain the link – such as shared factors in families’ social environments.
Where to next?
This study shows both peers and their family risk are linked to adolescent mental health, but it cannot explain how these effects occur.
To understand how mental health conditions “spread” within peer networks, we still need research that disentangles the effects of peer selection (choosing similar friends) from peer influence (how friends shape each other).
But the importance of school environments is clear. School-based mental health programs which harness the influential role of peers are key. In Australia, a program called Mind your Mate, has already shown promise in lowering depression risk in teens through education about mental health and how to support peers.
Together, these findings point beyond individuals to the wider environments young people are part of. Ultimately, improving adolescent mental health means investing in the people and places around them, such as the schools and communities where peer relationships take shape.
Thank you to Professor Cath Chapman for her role in developing this article.
If this article has raised issues for you, or if you’re concerned about someone you know, call Lifeline on 13 11 14. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people can also call 13YARN on 13 92 76.
You probably have at least one “super fit” friend. Maybe they’re a marathon runner, a footy player or a keen hiker.
To keep themselves healthy, they may stick to a strict exercise regimen and only eat certain foods.
But in most cases, these people would likely struggle to play a sport or do an activity they’re unaccustomed to.
So, what does “fitness” even mean? And is there more than one kind?
Defining ‘fitness’
When you hear the word “fitness”, you probably picture someone who looks physically strong and athletic. But fitness can take many forms.
This includes cardiovascular endurance, which is how well your heart and lungs use oxygen to create energy.
There’s also muscular strength or your ability to move and lift objects in a single effort, for instance picking up a heavy box.
Body composition, or the amount of muscle you have relative to the amount of fat, is another aspect of fitness.
Aerobic or anaerobic fitness. What’s the difference?
While we can understand fitness in many ways, exercise scientists commonly break it down into two broad categories.
Aerobic
Aerobic fitness refers to your ability to use oxygen to create energy. This allows you to physically exert yourself for longer periods of time, for example, running a marathon.
Researchers assess aerobic fitness using a measurement known as “VO₂max”. This records the maximum amount of oxygen your body can take in and use to create energy. Existing evidence shows people with a higher VO₂max score may have better aerobic fitness, a lower disease risk and a longer lifespan.
Anaerobic
Anaerobic fitness has to do with how well you perform short, high-intensity movements. Examples include jumping as high as you can or running a 100-metre sprint. Research shows anaerobic fitness relies on factors such as muscle mass, strength and explosive power, or how much force you can produce in a short period of time.
Some sports mainly require one type of fitness, say aerobic fitness for long-distance running. But most use a combination of the two. For instance, a football player needs explosive anaerobic power to sprint for the ball, but must also have enough aerobic fitness to keep running for a whole game.
Importantly, your body will adapt to the specific type of training you do. So if you run regularly, your heart, lungs and legs will learn to run very efficiently.
However, running involves a movement pattern that is quite specific. That’s why a runner may initially find it hard to pick up other sports, such as swimming or cycling.
But if you are “running fit” you will have an easier time switching to another sport, compared with someone who is not fit at all. That’s because you’ve already developed your aerobic and anaerobic systems and just need to “transfer” them to your new activity, rather than start from scratch.
These factors can affect your fitness
There are several factors that shape your level of fitness.
One is genetics. There is much research to suggest your genes play a key role in how you respond to exercise. Some people may build muscle more quickly and easily, while others seem to improve their aerobic fitness without much effort. This doesn’t mean that your genes stop you from getting very fit. But it does suggest that not everyone will be able to become an elite athlete.
Another factor is training. The type of exercise you do, and how well you do it, directly impacts how fit you get. Research shows high-intensity interval training – which intersperses short bursts of activity with quick recovery periods – is especially effective for improving aerobic fitness. But if you’re keen to get more anaerobically fit, you can prioritise strength training.
Lifestyle choices also affect fitness. You can train as much as you want, but if you’re not eating and sleeping enough, you may not get the results you want. That’s because good nutrition and consistent sleep ensure your body properly recovers from exercise.
How can fitness impact my health?
The evidence is clear that if you want to live a long, healthy life, you need both aerobic and anaerobic fitness.
Importantly, being more anaerobically fit may lower your risk of getting type 2 diabetes and dying prematurely. Research also shows having stronger and more powerful muscles helps older people avoid falls and stay independent for longer.
In short, high aerobic fitness may help you live longer, while high anaerobic fitness will ensure you stay strong during your twilight years.
So, how can I improve my overall fitness?
Based on the World Health Organization’s physical activity guidelines, you should aim to do at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity each week. This may look like running, cycling or even brisk walking, and doing weight training at least two days each week.
If you are short on time, high-intensity interval training, also known as HIIT, is an effective way to do more exercise in less time.
When it comes to fitness, there are no quick fixes. But regardless what exercise you choose, what matters most is that you do it consistently.
These days, all remedial courses are based on the need of the occasion. Gives the makeup school, students learn the different types of makeup styles. Ask the occasion makeup is the element that has the power to define the appearance of a person. Makeup bad can completely ruin the appearance and the days of a man. The golden rule of the master class makeup should be said to a person after the person or the body of the texture of the model concerned. All school makeup these days give the highest importance to the photographic composition. Any photographer first class believes that photography is not solely responsible for the perfect shot, but the elegance makeup plays an important role and is equivalent to a normal photo is convert it to a good photo. If this is done to make the model of inferior quality, then the recording is of poor quality only. Photographic composition is a key competency areas of remedial courses. Makeup for the photo shoot must take a certain type of charisma and freshness to appearance. While this model, the person who holds the makeup into consideration the importance of providing a kind of elegance model. To ensure a great photo shoot, the rule of High Masterclass is to make the best quality products is to use the perfect makeup. These days the market is flooded with different makeup products, it is important to choose the right product for the right model to suit the color and texture of the face. An important rule of photography make-up is to project the model's body is in the same light, the face. It is a big mistake often encountered in most professional photographers. The model's face is so important to ignore the flaws in the legs and arms often given. If any type of tooth is visible on every part of the image, and then use a good concealer should be made of the makeup artist. Makeup courses in the field of fashion photography forwards instead of doing all kinds of experiments with skin color model, it is preferable to make similar adjustments to the camera settings. The cameras are available in high quality such as imperfections can be handled without too much difficulty. The school makeup bans the idea of charging the unit with all types of makeup. The reason is that the model projected on full makeup, natural beauty of the model due to excess overshadowed makeup and fake a look of the image. In photography makeup, powder reduces shine on your face and help you the best shot. Source: Makeup Spot
The central aim of any child protection system is in the name: protect children. But over the years, inquiries and media reports have shown fulfilling this goal has too often proved tragically elusive.
In response, governments across the country have poured more and more money into their child protection systems in the hope of getting better outcomes.
Our newly-published research shows total national spending has almost doubled over the decade, climbing from $5.4 billion in 2014–15 to $10.2 billion in 2023–24 (adjusted for inflation).
But we found this hasn’t been matched by changes in activity across systems, like increases in the rate of investigations for alleged maltreatment, or the number of children entering out-of-home care. Nor has it improved outcomes for children.
So if money alone isn’t the answer, what is? Here’s what the evidence shows would help.
A maze of moving parts
Protecting Australia’s children is not the job of a single system. It involves many overlapping systems – health, childcare, education, justice and policing, disability services, and other parts of the social welfare system – working together to prevent and respond to child abuse, neglect and exploitation.
In Australia, there is no national child protection system to bring these parts together. Each state and territory runs its own. They share the same guiding principles, such as acting in the best interests of the child. But how they operate in practice differs across the country.
The result is several systems made up of many moving parts that do not always work as a coordinated whole. And too often, prevention is left to the side, in favour of reacting to harm once it has already happened.
Recent inquiries in Queensland and Victoria show this fragmentation is not just inefficient, but may be causing more harm than good.
The concerns raised in the recent Queensland and Victorian inquiries about how we protect children are not new. They have been raised many times in recent history.
Queensland alone has had four inquiries in the past 30 years (1999, 2004, 2012–13 and 2025–26), while Victoria has had three (2012, 2024, and 2026).
But as the presiding commissioner for the 2025–26 Queensland inquiry, Paul Anastassiou put it:
[…] the child protection system continues to fail children and the community in serious respects.
So, what are the problems?
1. Child protection systems don’t work as a whole
Statutory child protection services hold decision-making authority over when and how to intervene in a child’s life, and ultimately, whether a child needs to be removed from their parent(s) to keep them safe.
But it doesn’t control the conditions that create harm in the first place. Those sit across other systems.
Similarly, other causes of harm such as family violence, mental illness, and substance use are addressed through justice, health, and alcohol and other drug systems.
This means responsibility for child safety is distributed across many systems. Accountability, however, is not.
Each system remains accountable for its own functions, rather than for whether children are kept safe, stable and supported. No single system is accountable for whether the child’s best interests are upheld across their life course.
This has real consequences for statutory child protection decision-making. Information about children and families sits across multiple systems, and those systems do not always communicate. So, child safety decisions are often made with incomplete, fragmented or selectively available information.
Together, this creates child protection systems where high-stakes decisions are made on shaky foundations.
2. Child protection systems act too late and can cause harm
Systems remain overwhelmingly reactive, responding only after harm has happened, rather than preventing it in the first place.
In more than 50% of cases, children and families in contact with systems have already been subject to a child protection investigation.
The Victorian inquiry revealed that once in contact with statutory child protection, children aged 15–17 years old can expect to be re-reported almost seven times.
While this is not a new problem, it is one that must be solved.
Worse still, child protection systems themselves can cause harm. Children might experience multiple placements, uprooting relational and environmental stability, as well as significant delays in receiving health and medical care.
The most recent Queensland inquiry also highlighted children placed in residential care in particular experience higher rates of trauma, unmet mental health needs, self-harm and suicide attempts.
The commission rightly recognised the state’s heavy reliance on residential care as one of its biggest failures.
3. Over-prioritising crisis responses
Both the Queensland and Victorian inquiries found most resources are spent on responding to crises rather than on early intervention.
Our research found while overall spending was increasing, out-of-home care saw most of the funding boost. Between 2014–15 and 2023–24, the proportion of all spending that was on activities associated with out-of-home care increased from 58.4% to 63.6%.
Meanwhile, investment in intensive family support reduced from 8.2% to 6.2% of the overall spend.
What needs to be done?
Together, findings from recent inquiries and our own research show child protection systems across Australia are not consistently delivering on their core aim: acting in the best interests of the child.
While state-level statutory child protection reform is welcome, addressing this will require federal leadership.
Alternatively, because child maltreatment is a significant public health issue, it could also be assigned to the Australian Centre for Disease Control: a national agency established to strengthen Australia’s prevention, preparedness and response to public health threats.
Most people suspect they own too many clothes, but they aren’t sure exactly what the “right amount” is. Recent wardrobe studies, in which researchers literally peek inside peoples’ closets, show the scale of the problem is far greater than most of us imagine.
Sixty years ago, the average person owned about 40 garments.
Today, that number has more than quadrupled, with a recent study revealing these numbers continue to trend upwards. The typical wardrobe now contains an average of 199 major pieces. Even more striking: 25%–50% of these items are languishing in the back of drawers and rails.
Our hidden clothing footprint
Research tells us this is not just a clutter issue — it’s a carbon one. Every garment carries a sizeable environmental footprint long before it reaches a hanger, including from fibre production, spinning, weaving, dyeing, cutting, sewing, packaging and global transport.
A jacket that ends up as fashion waste is more than a label and price tag. It’s the sum of all the resources and emissions that brought it into being.
At the same time, donating excess garments to charities is rarely a solution.
Before you channel your inner Marie Kondo and bag up half your wardrobe, it’s worth knowing that most charities are overwhelmed, and only a small fraction of donated clothing is resold. The rest often ends up in landfill or exported overseas, shifting the problem, rather than solving it.
The real issue isn’t simply how much we buy, but how little we wear what we already own.
Wear counts change everything
One of the clearest findings emerging from sustainability research is that the environmental impact of a garment often depends on how many times it’s worn.
In a sense, every additional wear helps “offset” the garment’s carbon footprint.
The European Union has calculated the minimum number of wears needed for different clothing types:
For many people, these numbers may be far higher than expected – and they shift the sustainability conversation from “buying better” to “wearing more”.
The wardrobe equation
My own recent research has gone further by offering a simple mathematical model to calculate how long it takes to reach these minimum wear counts. The formula is straightforward: wearing frequency × wardrobe volume. The results are eye opening.
Take dresses. The average participant in the study owned 23. So if they wore a dress once a week, it would take nearly 31 years to wear each one 70 times. If they wear dresses five times a week, the timeline drops to six and a half years.
The maths makes the issue clear: there is no universal “right” number of clothes. A sustainable wardrobe depends entirely on how often a person wears what they own, which is influenced by factors such as seasonality, climate, lifestyle, laundry habits and personal style.
The maths also becomes more complicated when you look at the entire wardrobe, rather than a single garment type.
Why a tailored approach is needed
Because of this complexity, it’s difficult to declare a fixed number of garments that constitutes a sustainable wardrobe.
As such, the next phase of my project is the development of an interactive wardrobe calculator – a tool designed to help individuals understand their own clothing use patterns and calculate a personalised sustainable wardrobe size.
The Paris 2030 Agreement to stay below 1.5°C of global warming recommends 85 garments or less would be a responsible target – although imposing strict limits does not take individual wearing patterns into account. People need a practical, tailored approach that reflects their real lives.
What the research makes clear is that sustainability isn’t about owning the perfect number of clothes, or purging half your wardrobe. It’s about understanding the maths behind what you own, how often you wear it, and how those choices shape your environmental impact.
BRAZIL: This statue of Jesus stands some 38 meters tall, atop the Corcovado mountain overlooking Rio de Janeiro. Designed by Brazilian Heitor da Silva Costa and created by French sculptor Paul Landowski, it is one of the world’s best-known monuments. The statue took five years to construct and was inaugurated on October 12, 1931. It has become a symbol of the city and of the warmth of the Brazilian people, who receive visitors with open arms.
The Roman Colosseum (70 - 82 A.D.) Rome, Italy
ITALY: This great amphitheater in the centre of Rome was built to give favors to successful legionnaires and to celebrate the glory of the Roman Empire. Its design concept still stands to this very day, and virtually every modern sports stadium some 2,000 years later still bears the irresistible imprint of the Colosseum's original design. Today, through films and history books, we are even more aware of the cruel fights and games that took place in this arena, all for the joy of the spectators.
The Taj Mahal (1630 A.D.) Agra, India
INDIA: This immense mausoleum was built on the orders of Shah Jahan, the fifth Muslim Mogul emperor, to honor the memory of his beloved late wife. Built out of white marble and standing in formally laid-out walled gardens, the Taj Mahal is regarded as the most perfect jewel of Muslim art in India. The emperor was consequently jailed and, it is said, could then only see the Taj Mahal out of his small cell window.
The Great Wall of China (220 B.C and 1368 - 1644 A.D.) China
CHINA: The Great Wall of China was built to link existing fortifications into a united defense system and better keep invading Mongol tribes out of China. It is the largest man-made monument ever to have been built and it is disputed that it is the only one visible from space. Many thousands of people must have given their lives to build this colossal construction.
Petra (9 B.C. - 40 A.D.), Jordan
JORDAN: On the edge of the Arabian Desert, Petra was the glittering capital of the Nabataean empire of King Aretas IV (9 B.C. to 40 A.D.). Masters of water technology, the Nabataeans provided their city with great tunnel constructions and water chambers. A theater, modelled on Greek-Roman prototypes, had space for an audience of 4,000. Today, the Palace Tombs of Petra, with the 42-meter-high Hellenistic temple facade on the El-Deir Monastery, are impressive examples of Middle Eastern culture.
Machu Picchu (1460-1470), Peru
PERU: In the 15th century, the Incan Emperor Pachacútec built a city in the clouds on the mountain known as Machu Picchu ("old mountain"). This extraordinary settlement lies halfway up the Andes Plateau, deep in the Amazon jungle and above the Urubamba River. It was probably abandoned by the Incas because of a smallpox outbreak and, after the Spanish defeated the Incan Empire, the city remained 'lost' for over three centuries. It was rediscovered by Hiram Bingham in 1911. Source: Article
You probably know fruit and vegetables are good for you, and most of us don’t eat enough of them.
But amid a cost-of-living crisis, buying more fresh food may not seem like a budget-friendly option.
Enter: canned or frozen fruit and veg.
These are usually cheaper and longer-lasting than fresh produce. But are they as healthy? Let’s unpack the research.
First, how much should we be aiming for?
Fruit and vegetables contain important vitamins, minerals and fibre. These support overall wellbeing and reduce the risk of illnesses, such as heart disease and some cancers.
The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating recommends adults eat at least two serves of fruit and five serves of vegetables every day. This includes frozen and canned options.
For example, ½ a cup of frozen broccoli or ½ a cup of canned beans equals one serve of vegetables. One cup of canned peaches or one cup of diced, frozen mango equals one serve of fruit.
Cheap, quick… and low waste?
Most canned and frozen fruits and vegetables are cheaper than fresh produce.
As they generally come pre-chopped and ready to cook, they also cut down on preparation time.
Produce that is canned or frozen also has a much longer shelf life than fresh options. This means they are available year-round, and are less likely to spoil and have to be thrown out.
What about nutrition?
Frozen and canned fruit or veg generally retains its original nutritional value – sometimes better than fresh produce.
For example, the nutritional value of most frozen and canned products is equivalent to fresh fruit and vegetables that have been in the fridge for a week.
But the process of preserving certain foods may actually increase their nutrient content. Apricots are one example, with frozen apricots having a much higher vitamin C content than fresh apricots. This is because vitamin C is used to help preserve the fruit.
Freezing uses low temperatures to delay food spoilage. Industrial freezing methods are effective at retaining the colour and textural qualities of fruit and vegetables, while also maintaining their nutritional content.
However, freezing may damage the structure of food if it causes ice crystals to develop. This can reduce the nutrient content of fruits and vegetables and make them mushy, especially if you thaw and re-freeze them.
Frozen fruits and vegetables are at risk of being contaminated with the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes, which can cause food poisoning. But cooking fruits or vegetables before eating them reduces this risk.
The canning process involves sterilising foods at high temperatures so they can be safely stored at room temperature for long periods. However, being exposed to high temperatures causes some nutrients in the food to break down, especially water-soluble vitamins such as vitamin C. But advances in canning technology are allowing the process to be done faster and at lower temperatures, meaning less nutrients are lost.
What to keep an eye on
There are some things to look out for when purchasing canned fruit or vegetables.
Canned vegetables can have a high salt content, so it’s best to choose products that say “no added salt”. You can also check the nutrition information panel and look for options with the lowest sodium content. Draining and rinsing canned veggies before eating them can also help reduce the amount of salt you eat.
For baked beans in sauce, the sauce may contain added sugar and salt. If you eat baked beans regularly, it’s worth finding a salt reduced option to help lower your sodium intake.
To help reduce your sugar consumption, choose canned fruit options that are canned in juice rather than syrup. Some may also say “no added sugar” on the package.
How to use them
Canned fruits can be eaten as a snack on their own, or with cereal or yoghurt. In many recipes you can often replace fresh fruit with frozen and canned options.
Frozen veggies are great for whipping up a quick meal. For example, frozen peas and edamame only need a few minutes to cook, so can be added last-minute to a stir-fry or stew.
Adding a tin of lentils, chickpeas or beans can bulk out a stew or pasta sauce, while boosting your fibre and protein intake. Given they are already cooked, you can also toss them into a salad that will keep you fuller for longer. Just remember to rinse them first.
For more inspiration, here are some recipe collections that revolve around:
Compared to tinned versions, dried beans, chickpeas and lentils – which are all excellent sources of fibre and protein – are even better value and also have a long shelf life. But they can take longer to prepare.
Depending on the product, dried beans, chickpeas and lentils may need soaking prior to cooking or may be ready to add straight to the pot. If in doubt, check the instructions on the back of the packet.
Dried fruits are not recommended as an everyday alternative to fresh, frozen or canned fruit. This is because drying makes them more highly concentrated in sugar. But you can enjoy them as an occasional snack.
Nail art is the latest obsession and talk of the town these days. Within couple of hours, by making use of innovative nail art techniques one can make his or hand gorgeous which were once ugly and horrible.
Everyone all around the world know that how important nails are in a woman’s overall beauty and this has given emergence to a new class of people known as nail stylists. They are trained people with new
improved and innovative nail styling techniques. Nail art is no more restricted to models and celebrities only. Nowadays even teenagers have become very fussy about how their hands look. They go for nail
extensions, quick manicures and different nice styles on the nails. Nail art designs are becoming more and more innovative these days being high in demand. Many people go in for their individualized
designs. You will be surprised to read that this funky nail fashion is not only influencing female clients but men also. Nail art is all about giving good hygiene and men too are visiting parlors, getting their nails
manicured. Funky nails designs in gold, silver, red, blue, black and green are very much in these days. Everyone is making use of bold shades this season. One can go for acrylic nails, airbrushing, natural
hand painting, nail accessorizing, nail piercing and many other innovative things with your nails.Source: icePice
