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Distracted Driving

Australia’s Using Cell Phone-Detecting Cameras To Catch Distracted Drivers

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Australia has officially begun using new technology to help combat one of the 21st century’s biggest issues: people using their phones while they’re behind the wheel. Specifically, the state of New South Wales is currently installing multiple high definition cameras that are especially made for capturing images of drivers using their cell phones while driving. 

New South Wales (NSW) is the first place in the world to implement this sort of technology throughout its roads. According to NSW’s official statement, the cameras use artificial intelligence to capture and review the images of drivers, and the AI software is able to detect if the driver is using their phone or not. These cameras are mounted in stationary locations, like a standard traffic camera light, and also on mobile trailers for on the go monitoring.

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The technology isn’t the only thing that NSW’s transportation department is relying on for catching drivers illegally using their phones. Once an image is captured by a camera, it then needs to be verified by authorized personnel, according to NSW authority. They also stated that all images would be securely stored and managed amongst the transportation department. Individuals behind the technology understand that the cameras could capture drivers while they’re simply moving their phone or checking the GPS, hence the personnel review of the images to ensure appropriate action is taken against individuals actually using their phone illegally. 

“The NSW Government is serious about reducing our state’s road toll and rolling out mobile phone detection cameras is another way we will do this,” Andrew Constance, New South Wales’ minister for roads, said in a statement.

Over the next three years NSW plans on mounting a total of 45 portable cameras throughout the state in locations that will be kept classified from the general public. The cameras will also offer no sort of warning sign in regards to where they’re located, as that would defeat the purpose of catching drivers in the act. 

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Throughout the past year NSW’s government has been recording trial data from the new AI camera technology, and reports state that over 100,000 drivers were captured illegally using their phones while driving from the cameras alone. Obviously none of those caught in the act were punished, as the government didn’t officially announce the use of this new technology by that point, but the data has now been made available to everyone as a sort of warning on how accurate this technology actually is.  

In the official announcement for the new technology, NSW’s transportation department stated that for the first three months that the cameras are installed, drivers who are caught will receive a warning letter at first, instead of an actual fine. After the initial three months, or if an individual gets caught more than once within those three months, offenders will receive a fine of up to $345, or $460 if they’re caught in a school zone, and penalty points will be added to their license. 

While some individuals think the punishment is aggressive, New South Wales implemented this technology in response to the amount of car fatalities that could have easily been avoided had the driver not been looking at their phone. In NSW alone, 330 individuals have died in 2019 from cell phone driving related incidents. The state is aiming to cut that number down by at least 30% with this new technology, and based on their data projections, they should have no problem in achieving that goal and keeping their streets safe. 

Great Barrier Reef

How Scientists are Using Sound Waves to Repopulate the Great Barrier Reef

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Climate change is transforming the Great Barrier Reef, turning a once lively and colorful underwater ecosystem into a massive coral graveyard. Already, about 89% of the reef is dead or dying, putting the future of countless species of underwater life in jeopardy. Once teeming with life, large sections of the reef are now eerily quiet, which scientists believe led fish to abandon this habitat. In an attempt to revitalize this dying ecosystem, scientists have installed loudspeakers in various areas of the reef to make them sound as though they are healthy. Scientists have observed that reefs that sound lively attract fish to return to these habitats, paving the way for a potential future project to restore, at least in part, the once-lively and diverse ecosystem of the Great Barrier Reef.

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Using a process they call “acoustic enrichment,” which they described in a report published by Nature, scientists played noises including “the crackle of snapping shrimp and the whoops and grunts of fish” via a network of underwater loudspeakers. The scientists observed that twice as many fish arrived, and stayed, in areas of the reef that sounded lively compared to equivalent areas where no sounds were played. As the presence of fish is necessary for sustaining the ecosystems of coral reefs, scientists hope that attracting fish back to the Great Barrier Reef will help to kickstart other life in the region, potentially undoing some of the disastrous effects of rising ocean temperature levels. In other words, scientists hope that making coral reefs seem to be teeming with life will attract fish, beginning a natural recovery process.

As the field experiment lasted only six weeks, scientists have not yet had the opportunity to determine to what extent the repopulation of coral reefs impacts the larger surrounding ecosystem. However, the success of the experiment thus far has provided hope that interventions using science and technology can mitigate the damage of ecological collapse caused by climate change and other effects of human activity. That being said, while acoustic enrichment has proven to be an effective strategy for attracting fish, a number of threats to the Great Barrier Reef as well as the larger underwater ecosystem remain and will have to be accounted for to ensure the ongoing health of the ocean. These threats include climate change, overfishing, and water pollution.

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The span of time during which scientists observed the reef was too short for the fish to start breeding, and as of yet it’s unclear whether the fish will stay in this habitat long enough to spawn multiple generations of animals and to revitalize the surrounding coral. Coral depends upon the natural byproducts created by fish in order to survive, as they work as vitamin filters that allow the reefs to absorb nutrients. And as up to 85% of the oxygen in the atmosphere comes from the ocean, the health of underwater reefs also directly impacts life above land.

While large swaths of the Great Barrier Reef are entirely dead, a small percentage of the reef remains alive, albeit less populated with life than they used to be. Other projects to revitalize sections of the reef have also been conducted, with varying degrees of success. For example, scientists working for the Mote Marine Laboratory grew small pieces of reef in the laboratory and implanted these pieces alongside compromised sections of reef, which helped to regrow coral in just a few years, as the implanted sections of reef reproduced naturally. Additionally, the University of Hawaii is undergoing a project to selectively breed species of coral that are resistant to bleaching by using specimens that have shown to be particularly resilient. There is a long, uphill battle ahead to preserve the Great Barrier Reef, but scientific interventions provide hope that such an enormous task is possible.

Australia Bushfire

Deadly Bushfires Burning Out Of Control In Several Areas of Australia

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Bushfires season has started with a bang in Australia with fires raging up the east coast and warnings of ‘extremely dangerous conditions’ being raised across the country in Western Australia.

This past week has seen fire crews battling over 120 fires in both New South Wales (NSW) and Queensland as well as hundreds of properties being destroyed and even loss of life in some areas.

A man who has yet to be identified was found by fire fighters in destroyed bush land around 250 miles north of Sydney which follows the earlier deaths of Julie Fletcher, 63, George Nole, age unknown, and Vivian Chaplain, 69, all of whom were found in separate locations around NSW.

And with more than a million hectares of land being consumed by the fires since September – more than three times the amount for the whole of last year’s season – fire chiefs have warned that the worst is ‘still ahead of us’.

Residents in Queensland were forced to flee their homes after over 70 fires activated emergency warnings. Although most home owners headed to safer territory some stayed to try to defend their homes, working with fire crews as and where they could.

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In Yeppoon, 400 miles north of Brisbane, Queensland, a 16 year old boy has been charged with arson after it was claimed he had deliberately started a damaging fire, resulting in the loss of 14 homes. Fortunately there were no fatalities in this scenario. Potential arson attacks in the Sydney suburb of South Turramurra have also been criticized by their shocked mayor, Jennifer Anderson, ‘As mayor it seems almost unimaginable that someone would put our community in such danger’.

While in Pechey, just north of Toowoomba (around 78 miles from Brisbane) severe winds brought down a privately owned helicopter that was dropping water onto fires, causing injuries to the 70 year old pilot. Although the pilot was taken to hospital in a stable condition the crash landed helicopter brought fresh problems to the fire fighters, with many fearing it could explode thanks to the winds moving the fires across the land.

Rural Fire Service Deputy Commissioner Rob Rogers confirmed that the fight to control the fires was on-going thanks to the predicted higher temperatures coming in although even in the milder temperatures there was still plenty of ‘aggressive fire behavior simply because it’s so dry’.

And even with aerial water drops from helicopters the fires are still burning out of control thanks to the ferocious winds making the flames change directions so often it is difficult to know where to start first.

In New South Wales officials issued the greater Sydney area with its first ever ‘catastrophic’ fire warning and residents have also had to evacuate their homes and some schools have had to close.

Over the last few days fire-fighters have been drafted in from other states as well as New Zealand to help fight the fires and give the Queensland and NSW fire departments some much needed rest before they head back out again. Although there are currently more than 1000 fire-fighters at any one time in the field, it is also believed the army will be called in to carry out Australia’s largest peacetime military operation to help not only with extinguishing the fires but also the massive clear-up operation that will be required once the fires have finally burnt out.

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On the other side of the country in Western Australia two blazes have threatened homes in the port city of Geraldton, roughly 260 miles north of its capital Perth while around twelve fires continue to burn in other areas of the state.

With the bush fire season starting earlier, lasting longer and seeing a much higher amount of scrub land lost – as well as all the wildlife that are in these areas – many are asking if it has anything to do with climate change.

2017 was Australia’s fourth hottest year on record while 2018 was its third, however it was also the warmest summer on record, showing that temperatures are increasing across this great continent. Climate change has been attributed to conditions including increasing temperatures as well as a rise in natural disasters across the world such as fires, droughts, severe snow and tsunamis.

Although this is a worldwide problem, a recent UN report declared Australia was not doing enough in reducing the CO2 emissions. Prime Minister Scott Morrison has refused to answer questions on climate change while his government ministers continue to dismiss climate change concerns completely.

Last week also saw a coalition of retired fire chiefs call out the government for ignoring their warning about the potential for increasing fire tragedies due to climate change.

Tasmanian former chief fire officer Mike Brown stated ‘Things aren’t going to get better if our elected leaders don’t face this issue head on, and deliver the emissions reductions we need.’

Sydney Australia

Australia’s Northern Territory Uluru Issues Climbing Ban

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The Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park Board has unanimously voted to close the giant monolith to climbers due to the spiritual significance to the site. As the rightful owners of Uluru, the Anangu people had to wait until 1979 before they were recognized as the traditional owners, even though they had lived there for over 40,000 years.

The world is an amazing place with many natural habitats to explore and one of the greatest activities to do while on holiday is to head to the local attractions and see some of the world’s most impressive sights. However by doing so we are not only killing these areas but we are also trespassing on some sacred sites. Often, people are simply not aware of this and would be much more respectful if they were aware of the history and rightful ownership. 1985 saw the freehold title deeds for the area handed back but it took until 2001 for there to be an official Anangu ranger on the site.

But why is Uluru seen as such a sacred site?

The Anangu believe the world was unformed and featureless in the beginning with ancestral beings emerging from this void. These beings chose to create all living forms and species as they travelled the land, with Uluru being just one of the resulting physical evidence. However the Anangu are aware of the wonder of Uluru and can understand why people want to come and visit the area, they just do not want people to climb the rock.

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Even with signs in six languages dotted around the area climbers have still headed up Uluru, a sign of disrespect not only to Uluru but to the Anangu people too.

Despite the board voting to close the site in 2017, they decided to allow a two year period in which climbers could complete their goal, to tick ‘climb the rock’ off their bucket list. This ban has been a long time coming and has prompted calls of bans in other parts of the country too, including from the Jinibara people regarding the Sunshine Coast Mountains in Queensland. So if tourists are no longer allowed to climb certain attractions – they can still go and look at the inspiring monolith – where can they go? Travel experts at www.tripgeek.com have revealed some alternative natural attractions across the world’s ‘largest island and smallest continent’.

Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia

For many years there have been calls for tourists to stop visiting the Great Barrier Reef due to the fact it is dying. Although climate change has been sited for 89% of the issues, tourism has also been blamed. However head to the other side of this great country and you can find the gorgeous Ningaloo Reef, located just 1200kms north of Perth. Here you have the opportunity to swim with gentle whale sharks or humpback whales, view the reef from above in a microlight or go snorkelling in Turquoise Bay. Not only is this area in many ways more beautiful than the Great Barrier Reef, it is also less busy meaning you can have a better experience.

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The Pinnacles

Also in Western Australia, The Pinnacles are a good alternative to Uluru. These natural limestone structures are a short drive away from the ocean and is the Coral Coast’s biggest natural attraction – although Mount Augustus is also a must see as it is the biggest rock (monocline) on earth! For a slightly quirkier trip head over to Wave Rock in the Hyden Wildlife Park where you can also find The Humps and The Hippo’s Yawn.

The Three Sisters

With the call to close the Sunshine Coast Mountains you could always head south to The Blue Mountains and visit the Three Sisters in Katoomba. According to Aboriginal legend these unusual rock formations represent three sisters who were turned to stone. And thanks to the different seasons, and even the different lights of the day, the views can vary dramatically.

Coober Pedy

When visiting the centre of Australia and wondering at the enormity of Uluru why not head south to Coober Pedy and visit the town that is essentially underground. Due to the immense heat around 50% of the 2,500 population live underground in ‘dugouts’ and you can find many hotels and restaurants underground too.

Margaret River Caves

If being underground appeals to you then head to Western Australia and visit the caves in Margaret River. The four caves – Mammoth Cave, Lake Cave, Jewel Cave and Ngilgi Cave – are open for the public but are preserved thanks to the walkways and ban on removing anything natural from them. You can also head further south and see where the ‘two oceans meet’ at Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse. A popular spot for tourists wishing to see the Southern Ocean and Indian Ocean meet.

Australia Bushfire

Rising Temperatures In Antarctica’s Atmosphere Is Now Affecting Australia

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When it comes to our world’s natural environment, everything is connected. Whether it be fires in Africa helping put out fires in the Amazon rain forest, or lab grown coral in Florida that will help rebuild the Great Barrier Reef, different pieces of the Earth and its inhabitants can help or hinder other parts on the complete opposite side of the world. Antarctica and Australia are two parts of the world that couldn’t be more opposite, and yet, they also couldn’t be more connected; now more than ever. According to Science Alert Magazine (SA), record high temperatures in Antarctica, that will be occurring throughout the next few weeks, are predicted to bring abnormally high spring temperatures and abnormally low amounts of rainfall to New South Wales and southern Queensland in Australia. 

Temperatures in the Southern Pole areas of the world began warming the last week of August, specifically in the stratosphere above the Pole (SA). The stratosphere is the second layer, out of five, in the Earth’s atmosphere. It begins about 32 miles above the Earth’s surface, and contains an abundance of ozone. Ozone is an oxygen like molecule that absorbs UV radiation from the sun and uses that to heat this layer of the Earth, along with the level below it, according to soft schools online definition. This quick heating was reported as a “sudden stratospheric warming” meaning that as the weeks progress temperatures will continue to warm and intensify and eventually extend down onto the actual surface of the Earth and move to affect areas of Eastern Australia (SA). 

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“Every winter, westerly winds – often up to 120 miles per hour – develop in the stratosphere high above the South Pole and circle the polar region. The winds develop as a result of the difference in temperature over the pole and the Southern Ocean. As the sun shifts southward during spring, the polar region starts to warm. Waves of air from the lower atmosphere warm the stratosphere above the South Pole, and weaken or “mix” the high-speed westerly winds. Very rarely, if the waves are strong enough they can rapidly break down the polar vortex, actually reversing the direction of the winds so they become easterly. This is the technical definition of ‘sudden stratospheric warming’,” according to Harry Hendon of the Bureau of Meteorology.

So, more simply put, the warmer the polar regions become, the stronger the winds in the stratosphere can become, so much so that they actually can reverse their normal western direction to head East, and towards Australia. These warm and intense winds in the stratosphere above Australia is what will cause an abnormally warm spring season, and a lack of rainfall. 

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Bush-fire’s In Australia

This can be detrimental for both Australia and Antarctica. In Australia higher temperatures and reduced rainfall means there’s a much higher risk for wildfires or bush-fires, which are much more common in Australia. In fact, this week parts of Australia including New South Wales and Sydney have declared a seven day state of emergency in response to a catastrophic fire warning, according to CNN. Currently 70 large bush-fires are occurring in New South Wales alone, Australian authorities haven’t witnessed this much damage and increased safety risk since the creation of Sydney’s updated fire regulation system in 2009. 

Additionally, an increase in heated wind in the stratosphere can lead to a depletion of ozone, creating more holes in our Earth’s ozone layer, which means less protection from harmful UV radiation being absorbed from the sun. We need these protective layers to keep Antarctica cold, sea levels low, Australia cool and without fires. The process of Antarctic winds affecting Australia and other areas of the world is not surprising, but it is threatening. This is just one piece of the larger puzzle that is climate change. If the world’s powers don’t start taking more immediate action in response to cataclysmic natural events such as this, some bush-fires in Australia will be the least of our worries.

Airbnb

Airbnb’s Top 5 Places To Travel To This Year

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The holiday season is right around the corner and as it approaches you and your family are probably gearing up for a month of family gatherings, holiday shopping, and the annual office Christmas party. When all is said and done though, where will you go to unwind and relax during your actual holiday break? Christmas time/December in general is one of the most popular times to travel, and as it gets closer and closer, more people are trying to book their holiday getaways. According to Airbnb, the best time to book a flight or make travel plans for the holidays is September and October, that’s when flights are typically going to be cheaper if you’re “last minute” booking something. However in order to book a flight you need a destination, so where are your travels going to take you this year? Airbnb also just released their top trending travel destinations for December, and for 2020 in general. All of these locations are meant to be underrated destinations that will help you ring in the new year with a slew of new and surprising experiences. Here are their top 5 choices of future travel destinations for you.

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5. ROMANIA –  Airbnb reported a 298% increase in year to year booking for this Eastern European paradise. A trend that you’ll notice with the top locations for travel is that all of them offer some sort of eco-friendly element. This was a major factor in the decision making process when compiling this list, as travel in general can really hurt the planet, however, depending on the means of travel and how you spend your time in these special places, your carbon footprint on the planet should remain relatively low on these getaways. Romania ranks number 15 of places in the entire world with a vital ecosystem. There’s plenty of landscapes encompassing vast hills, rural villages, traditional details and classic architecture. It’s the perfect “off the beaten path” getaway.

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4. SUNBURY, AUSTRALIA – Sunbury is like Melbourne’s cute country side sister, in fact the two cities are only 20 miles from each other. The city saw a 356% year-over-year increase in bookings, according to Airbnb, part of that increase is due to an increase in interest in cricket, the sport that is. More and more tourists look for traditional values in the places they visit, and what’s more traditional than going to the birthplace of one of the biggest cricket trophy competitions in the world, The Ashes. The Ashes is the name of a series of cricket matches between England and Australia and if you follow the sport, you know that that’s one of the biggest rivalries in the sports history.

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3. BURIRAM, THAILAND – Buriram is the spot for any history buffs looking for a new journey. The city is 200 miles from Bangkok, and contains some of the most well-preserved and treasured relics and artifacts from the Khmer empire of Southeast Asia. The Khmer empire embraced major aspects of both Hinduism and Buddhism, making the city one of the best places for ancient representations of what those religions were like when they first originated. The city has seen a 383% year-over-year increase in bookings, according to Airbnb, and has become a hot-spot for sporting events. It has begun hosting many MotoGP racing events and has announced the beginning of a country wide marathon that will begin taking place in the city. So if you’re really into sports, history, religious relics, rich ancient Thailand culture, or all of the above, Buriram should definitely be on your radar.

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2. BILBAO, SPAIN – In 2018, Bilbao won the European City of the Year award, and if you were to visit you’d know why. The city is known for it’s exuberant colors, and thriving art community/cultural values. The famous Bilbao Guggenheim Museum designed by Frank Gehry, brought major media attention to the city back in 1997 when the museum opened, and ever since the city has been known as a hub of thriving European culture and art. “Next year, Bilbao will also become a top destination for sports fans: it’s one of the host cities of Europe’s most beloved soccer competition” called Athletic Bilbao, according to writers for Airbnb. This city in particular has seen a 402% increase in year over year bookings.

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1. MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN – Milwaukee reigns in at the number one spot with a whopping 729% year over year increase in bookings. The city was recently listed as one of the most underrated travel spots, and with good reason. The city is a historical hub of American culture, and also has some of the hottest bar and restaurant spots in the country. Milwaukee is also known for its beer and cheese, can you get anymore American?The urban areas of this town are cosmopolitan and sophisticated, but the roots that make this classic American town so great remain strong.

For the Top 20 list of Airbnb’s travel destinations, Airbnb.

Great Barrier Reef

Mother Nature Joins Effort To Save The Great Barrier Reef, But She Needs Our Help

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After a massive underwater volcano eruption in the Pacific ocean, a giant raft of pumice began floating en route to Australia’s Coast. Pumice is volcanic rock that is made up of dust or powder that is packed together and consists of a rough textured volcanic glass.

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