Health evidence against gas and oil is piling up, as governments turn a blind eye

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Health evidence against gas and oil is piling up, as governments turn a blind eye     We are seeing deadly heat and fires circle the world. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warns we are fast running out of time to secure a liveable and sustainable future. Without emergency action to stop mining and burning fossil fuels, the world faces an unthinkable 2.8℃ temperature rise.It’s incomprehensible, then, that many of our politicians support “unlocking the Beetaloo Basin” in the Northern Territory and developing another 48 oil and gas projects across Australia. Continued here

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The True Joy of Sandbox Games Is Breaking Them     I’m nervous about Starfield. I’ve enjoyed Bethesda’s other open-world RPGs, but I’m not super into postapocalypses, and Skyrim’s fantasy world didn’t engage me much. But I love space. Games set in space are my jam. So I’ve been wanting a game like Starfield since before Bethesda announced it. But after playing Tears of the Kingdom (among others), I’m worried Starfield will be missing the one thing that elevates the best games in the genre: the developer-intended ability to absolutely break the game.To be clear, I don’t mean mods, console commands, or cheat codes. As much as I’m in favor of all those things, I’m talking about when a game presents puzzles and challenges with a few expected ways to solve the problem but also gives players the tools to sidestep or break those challenges. Like, say, by building a Lynel-killing aerial laser array. Continued here

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As NZ struggles to resolve its long-running housing crisis, investors should be taxed for keeping homes empty     The property market is New Zealand’s largest industry, adding NZ$41.2 billion a year to gross domestic product. But there is a debate over how we tax houses – particularly those sitting empty despite the ongoing housing crisis. Housing affordability is a concern for both renters and home owners. Last year, one in four rental households spent more than 40% of their disposable income on housing costs, compared with one in five households that were paying a mortgage. Continued here

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Confessions of a Netflix DVD Dead-Ender     The company is finally retiring the famous red envelope. When it does, a certain relationship to art and time will be lost. The first set of DVDs that Netflix mailed to my apartment consisted of Pedro Almodóvar’s camp classic Dark Habits, the 2002 documentary The Weather Underground, and the Nicolas Cage action vehicle Con Air. That was 14 years and more than 500 DVDs ago, according to the data preserved on my account. Why those three films? I couldn’t tell you. What I can say is that I remain as loyal to my Netflix DVD account as I was when I first signed up, in 2009. At the time, the company had already been offering streaming content for two years. But, to the bafflement of friends and family, I’ve stuck with the movies-by-mail service through its long decline and will do so until, as the company recently announced, it shuts down on September 29. Continued here

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Should You Take Regular Breaks from Coffee? Two Caffeine Experts Reveal the Surprising Answer     Caffeine can feel like a cheat code for getting through a rough day. It is, after all, the world’s most popular stimulant. In fact, about 80 percent of adults in the U.S. consume caffeine in some form every day. But one major side effect that comes along with drinking caffeine, in all its forms, is a dependency on it. Once we’re hooked on our one cup a day, it's hard to go a morning without it. Is there a way to stall or even prevent this annoying part? Can taking a break from the drug fix a dependency on it?It may seem like a worthwhile pursuit, but experts argue there’s not much good that comes from a caffeine-free stint. Continued here

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"Siberian Wood," by Lara Vapnyar     The thing about horseradish vodka is that it makes you forget that you're drinking vodka. The greenish color and the smell of hay bring to mind the kind of herbal infusions you'd get at a spa, and the taste is so sharp and bracing that it feels like an energy drink. Yes, an energy drink! You feel strong and vigorous as you down one shot after another. You're delighted with everyone, but most of all with yourself, your witty, charming, quirky self, and you believe that everyone else is just as impressed by you as you are, until you suddenly realize that you're so drunk you can't fully control yourself—your movements, or your words, or that crazy laughter that makes your mouth twist and your eyes water—and your whole body convulses and you splash the drink all over your plate, your knees, and your chest. And then you realize that this isn't that big a party, that there are only five seemingly respectable middle-aged adults at the table in this neat Upper West Side apartment, that your husband, Mark, is staring at you in horror, and that his friend Sergey is red in the face, because your charming, witty self has been mocking and abusing him for the past two hours. The hosts are trying their best to look away, even though they are almost as drunk as you are.The only remedy for this is, of course, more horseradish vodka, but God help you if you find that the bottle is empty. Continued here

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50 Cheap Things That Make Your Home Look & Feel More Expensive With Almost No Effort     Outside of work, home is where I spend the most amount of time — which is precisely why I like to try and make it look as nice as possible. The only catch is that I have to stick to my monthly budget, which immediately rules out any pricy renovations. Luckily, there are tons of cheap things on Amazon that can make any home look and feel more expensive with almost no effort. From solar-powered lights to plush all-season bedding, I’ve made sure to fill this list with items that every home can benefit from.Not only is this set of six towels available for just $40 but they’re also made from soft, ring-spun Turkish cotton, making them just as absorbent as they are soft. The best part? The colors won’t fade after dozens of washes — and you even have the choice of two: dark grey or black. Continued here

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14 Good N95, KF94, and KN95 Face Masks to Buy Right Now     The Biden administration officially ended the national and public health emergency for Covid-19 in May of 2023 and mask mandates have been dropped in every state throughout the country. But with cases still surging, it's smart to continue masking, particularly in public indoor spaces or while spending time with people outside of your household. More subvariants are driving a surge in cases, so now's the time to upgrade your go-to mask or stock up on more. We looked into some good options (some of which we’ve tested), and here’s what we found.Updated September 2023: We removed the Titan Protect and Amston Model 1808 N95 respirator masks because they're out of stock. We also updated pricing and retailers. Continued here

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Whatever happened to the Catalan independence movement?     In 2017, citizens of Catalonia voted in a referendum on whether the northeastern region of Spain should break away from the rest of the country and become its own republic. As the Spanish political establishment held its breath, so did the sports industry. If Catalonia achieved its long-desired independence, then Catalonian clubs like F.C. Barcelona would no longer be able to compete in Spain’s national league — a move its president, Javier Tebas, told ESPN would hurt both the club and soccer in general.Tebas’ warning intimidated many separatists, who hold Barça as dear to their heart as Catalonia itself. Still, they saw the league president for what he was: an outspoken critic of Catalonian independence who used the power of his non-political profession to push an obviously political agenda. The referendum took place, and 92% of voters elected to secede. But secede they never did, as Spain’s central government and courts declared the outcome illegal. Continued here

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I Use This Overpriced Travel Stroller Every Single Day     Travel strollers are meant for—you guessed it—travel. When I started testing strollers, I assumed I would just ignore this category for any purpose besides long-haul trips or flights. Travel strollers, also called lightweight or umbrella strollers, have fewer features, since they focus on being as easy to carry as possible. For as small as they are, they weren't as cheap as I expected. Some were even pricier than strollers designed for everyday use.I ended up testing two lightweight strollers side by side: the Nuna TRVL, a $500 travel stroller, and the Joovy Kooper, a $250 lightweight stroller. The Joovy came with more features for half the price, including a place for me to put my water and keys, which almost no stroller I tested had. Continued here

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Modern prime ministers have typically left parliament soon after defeat. So why doesn't Scott Morrison?     With each passing month, Scott Morrison is developing into a post-prime-ministership peculiarity. Well over a year since voters cast him from power, he remains limpet-like in the House of Representatives, defying speculation that he is ready to quit parliament and trigger a byelection in his New South Wales seat of Cook. Hanging around on the backbench is generally not the way of ousted national leaders in the modern political era.It is true that in bygone times former prime ministers did not scurry to leave parliament after losing office. The most spectacular example is Australia’s leader during the first world war, William Morris Hughes. Bumped from office in 1923, the “Little Digger”, as he was known, remained in the House for another three decades, relentlessly scheming for power. Only death in 1952 brought closure to his parliamentary career. Continued here

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'Ahsoka' is Undermining the Most Important Cornerstone of Star Wars Canon     “The Force resides in all living things,” explains Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) to her unlikely apprentice, Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo), in the latest episode of Ahsoka. “Even you.”Ahsoka is not the first Star Wars story to try and make sense of the Force, how it works, or how Jedi and Sith are able to use it at will. The title character is using the same rhetoric we’ve heard from the likes of Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) in the Star Wars prequels, and from Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guiness) in the original trilogy. Saying that the Force resides in every living thing is like saying water is wet — but Ahsoka skirts tradition by suggesting that anyone can be taught to harness it, not only those with off-the-chart midichlorian readings. Continued here

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Which Sonos Speakers Should You Buy?     Here at WIRED, we like Sonos speakers. We really do. Throughout the past decade, we’ve reviewed all of the company’s wirelessly connectable speakers, from its small shelf speakers to its TV soundbars, and we’ve recommended every one of them. But turning your home into a Sonos-powered shrine to sound isn’t cheap. Like Apple products, Sonos speakers sell at a premium, starting at $120 for a basic model. But which ones should you buy? Read on for our recommendations.Updated September 2023: We've added our impressions of the Symfonisk Speaker Lamp (2nd Gen) and the Victrola Onyx turntable. We also fixed pricing and retailers. Continued here

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Research: How to Effectively Market Green Products     A study, involving Edelman and nine major brands, finds that despite corporate hesitations, sustainable products are growing twice as fast as conventional ones, appealing across all demographics. Brands should ensure that product quality is not compromised while promoting sustainability. Combining sustainability claims with core brand attributes can broaden consumer appeal. Effective sustainability messages prioritize the personal and community benefits, while technical or scientific claims are less compelling unless tied to consumer benefits. Sustainably-marketed goods are consistently growing across demographics, indicating that compelling sustainability claims can boost customer engagement and business growth. Continued here

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Your Hands Can Tell A Lot About Your Health? Here's What To Look For     Sometimes, changes in nail color and pattern are not sinister and are merely signs of aging.Your hands reveal a lot about the state of your health. This is something that has been recognized since at least the time of Hippocrates — the father of modern medicine. Continued here

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Albanese records first net negative Newspoll approval as Voice support slumps further     Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne The first federal Newspoll since mid-July, conducted August 28 to September 1 from a sample of 1,200, gave Labor a 53–47 lead, a two-point gain for the Coalition. Primary votes were 37% Coalition (up three), 35% Labor (down one), 13% Greens (up one), 7% One Nation (steady) and 8% for all Others (down three). Continued here

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AI systems have learned how to deceive humans. What does that mean for our future?     Postdoctoral Associate at the Tegmark Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Artificial intelligence pioneer Geoffrey Hinton made headlines earlier this year when he raised concerns about the capabilities of AI systems. Speaking to CNN journalist Jake Tapper, Hinton said: Continued here

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Being the main breadwinner didn't necessarily keep married mums in work during the pandemic     In the toughest days of the pandemic, many dual-income families made the difficult choice to drop down to one income. With dads being the primary earners in many heterosexual households, it was often the mother who gave up her job to manage all the extra housework, homeschooling and childcare the pandemic brought. Continued here

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It was written for nuclear disarmament - but today You're The Voice is the perfect song for the 'yes' campaign     The serendipity of the pairing between John Farnham’s 1986 hit single You’re the Voice and the Voice to Parliament referendum is obvious, but it goes well beyond the fact the two share the key word “voice”. The original was composed by a team of British songwriters in response to an anti-nuclear demonstration in London’s Hyde Park in 1985. Chris Thompson, Andy Qunta and Maggie Ryder had planned a song-writing session on the day an estimated 100,000 marched through central London in support the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament. Continued here

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'Biological Recycling' Would Be Truly, Truly Amazing     On an overcast spring morning in 2012, Federica Bertocchini was tending to her honeybees close to where she lived in Santander, on Spain’s picturesque northern coast. One of the honeycombs “was plagued with worms,” says the amateur apiarist, referring to the pesky larvae of wax moths,  which have a voracious—and destructive—appetite.Bertocchini picked out the worms, placed them in a plastic bag, and carried on with her beekeeping chores. When she retrieved the bag a few hours later, she noticed something strange: It was full of tiny holes. Continued here

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Long COVID symptoms can improve, but their resolution is slow and imperfect     Around 5–10% of people who get infected with SARS-CoV-2 will experience symptoms that persist way beyond the initial acute period, a clinical syndrome we are learning more about, known widely as long COVID. Shortness of breath, brain fog, lethargy and tiredness, loss of smell or taste are common features of long COVID, as is the development of new conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, depression and dementia. Continued here

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Why is a messy house such an anxiety trigger for me and what can I do about it?     Do you ever feel overwhelmed by the sight of clutter and mess in your home? Have you walked in the door only to feel overloaded by scattered papers, unwashed dishes and clothes in disarray? Maybe you’ve even had arguments because it bothers you more than it bothers you partner or housemates. You’re not alone. Many people report a messy house can trigger feelings of stress and anxiety. Continued here

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Sharing benefits from the UN's deforestation reduction program remains challenging, here's why     REDD+ is the United Nations’ deforestation and forest degradation reduction program. It was established nearly 20 years ago and is still active in more than 65 countries. Read more: How can Indonesia improve REDD+ to stop deforestation? Continued here

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Google turns 25: the search engine revolutionised how we access information, but will it survive AI?     Today marks an important milestone in the history of the internet: Google’s 25th birthday. With billions of search queries submitted each day, it’s difficult to remember how we ever lived without the search engine. What was it about Google that led it to revolutionise information access? And will artificial intelligence (AI) make it obsolete, or enhance it? Continued here

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Feeling lonely? Too many of us do. Here's what our supermarkets can do to help     Even before COVID-19, social isolation and loneliness were all too common across the community. Living among millions of other people is no comfort for people in cities, where the pace of life is often hectic, and technology and digitisation often limit, rather than help with, social interaction. For some, a weekly shopping trip may be the only chance to interact with others. A supermarket chain in the Netherlands is helping to combat loneliness with so-called “slow” checkouts where chatting is encouraged. Could a similar approach work here? Continued here

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How hate speech during the Voice campaign can harm personal wellbeing, as well as democracy     Last week, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced Australia will vote in the Voice referendum on October 14.When the proposal for a Voice to Parliament was first put forward in the Uluru Statement from the Heart, it was mostly welcomed as an invitation to Australians to come together. Continued here

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Paralyzed woman able to speak again, thanks to brain-avatar interface     Researchers in California have unveiled two new brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) that translate brain signals into words. In two people who can no longer talk on their own, the devices enabled “speech” at speeds up to four times faster than any previous devices.“It is now possible to imagine a future where we can restore fluid conversation to someone with paralysis, enabling them to freely say whatever they want to say with an accuracy high enough to be understood reliably,” said Francis Willett, who co-authored a study of one of the devices. Continued here

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'Co-design' is the latest buzzword in Indigenous education policy. Does it live up to the hype?     Co-design is the new buzz word being applied to relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.It has been used as a key part of the Indigenous Voice process. But it is also talked about when it comes to health policy and infrastructure design. Continued here

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How diving as a boy took Tim Flannery on the trail of the megalodon in all its 'terrifying glory'     With Meg 2: The Trench currently showing in cinemas – its eponymous star looking unhelpfully like an oversized great white shark – megalodons are having another pop cultural moment.Cinema-goers may, justifiably, have questions about the accuracy of this latest representation of these prehistoric creatures. The good news is that Tim and Emma Flannery have written a book that will both thrill and inform such curious readers. Continued here

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What Really Happens When Americans Stop Going to Church     Millions of Americans are leaving church, never to return, and it would be easy to think that this will make the country more secular and possibly more liberal. After all, that is what happened in Northern and Western Europe in the 1960s: A younger generation quit going to Anglican, Lutheran, or Catholic churches and embraced a liberal, secular pluralism that shaped European politics for the rest of the 20th century and beyond. Something similar happened in the traditionally Catholic Northeast, where, at the end of the 20th century, millions of white Catholics in New England, New York, and other parts of the Northeast quit going to church. Today most of those states are pretty solidly blue and firmly supportive of abortion rights.So, as church attendance declines even in the southern Bible Belt and the rural Midwest, history might seem to suggest that those regions will become more secular, more supportive of abortion and LGBTQ rights, and more liberal in their voting patterns. But that is not what is happening. Declines in church attendance have made the rural Republican regions of the country even more Republican and—perhaps most surprising—more stridently Christian nationalist. The wave of states banning gender-affirming care this year and the adoption of “proud Christian nationalist” as an identity by politicians such as Marjorie Taylor Greene (who even marketed T-shirts with the slogan) is not what many people might have expected at a time when church attendance is declining. Continued here