Originally published by The Spinoff As My Vaccine Pass becomes a ticket to freedom, an illegal market is brewing for those who aren’t yet double-jabbed. Dylan Reeve investigates for IRL. New Zealand’s traffic light system…
Mr Toly said he's still pinching himself over the sighting.
The sighting recalls Herman Melville's famed 1851 book 'Moby Dick', in which obsessive captain Ahab seeks revenge on a giant white sperm whale that took his leg.
In reality, only a handful of white whales have been spotted in the wild including the famed Migaloo; an albino humpback whale known to cruise Australia's east coast.
However, as Mr Toly only partially sighted his white whale it's unclear whether it has albinism.
Another skin condition called leucism can also cause partial loss of pigmentation in animals.
Sperm whales are mostly grey can, reach 18 metres in length, and are the largest toothed predator on earth.
A team of scientists spotted a rare and eerie deep-sea sight when they caught a giant phantom jellyfish on camera, nearly a kilometre below the ocean's surface.
The Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) team, in California, were piloting a remote underwater vehicle in November when they spotted the underwater predator.
They posted the footage on YouTube this week, saying in an accompanying statement the jellyfish measured more than one metre across its bell, with four "oral arms" that inject its prey with poison.
It has been found in ocean basins all over the world, except for the Arctic region.
"The challenges of accessing its deep-water habitat contribute to the relative scarcity of sightings for such a large and broadly distributed species," MBARI said.
"Historically, scientists relied on trawl nets to study deep-sea animals.
A massive clean-up is under way in Inglewood in southern Queensland after floodwaters ravaged homes and businesses.
Nearly 1000 people were evacuated from their homes in the town at the start of the week after waters topped 11m, shattering a flood record that had stood since 1988.
Resident Kirsten Brown told 9News the ordeal had been exhausting and "extremely emotional".
"To see so much work and stuff like that, to lose everything is pretty bad," she said.
The crisis is still not over with waters at Goondiwindi expected to peak today.
A 10.7m peak is forecast, similar to the devastating 2011 floods.
However, Queensland Fire and Emergency Services Assistant Commissioner Steve Smith said Goondiwindi was "incredibly prepared" for floods.
"There's obviously a levee in place," Mr Smith told Today.
"The expected peak is 10.7m. The levee is sitting at 11m."
Mr Smith praised the resilience of flood-affected communities, who were working to "bring back some normality".
"We've moved specialist crews in and they are well-equipped to be prepared for and respond to anything that might arise," he said.
While less rain is expected in the flooded areas, thunderstorms are possible through the weekend and into next week.
Mr Smith said even a smaller amount of rain on "incredibly wet" catchments could trigger flash flooding, and urged residents to remain informed of the latest warnings.
Just one life has been lost in the floods so far – a 73-year-old Roma man who was washed off a causeway near Toowoomba as he tried to drive across it.
National ALP president Wayne Swan has cautioned against a Beijing Winter Olympics boycott, as concern remains over the safety of tennis star Peng Shuai.
Ms Shuai disappeared from public view for two weeks after accusing former vice-premier Zhang Gaoli of sexual assault.
She has since appeared in video calls expressing her safety.
Nonetheless, the Women's Tennis Association this week decided to suspend all tournaments in China, with chair Steve Simon saying he could not "in good conscience" ask athletes to compete in the country.
Today, The Australian has reported that Labor has signalled its willingness to work with the government on a potential boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics, which will be held in Beijing.
Mr Swan told Today that Australia needed to be "consistent" in its approach.
"We should be calling out the human rights abuses in China, which are truly dreadful," he said.
"Sport is one way to do that, although I would recall that in 1980 there was a call for a boycott of the Moscow Olympics. That didn't end well and it didn't work."
That boycott was launched by the US in response to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.
In turn, the USSR and its allies boycotted the 1984 Los Angeles Games.
"We need to consistently, at every level, through government and non-government organisations, to be calling out human rights abuses in China," Mr Swan said.
"What's happening in tennis is replicated right across the board in that country. So I think we need to be more consistent as a country in calling out these abuses, and this action by the tennis authorities is welcomed.
"But I don't think we should necessarily be seeing it in the context of athletic participation in the Olympics, for example."
A Queensland woman and her husband have been shocked to find 10 double-yolked eggs in their dozen egg carton, a rare and some might say lucky find.
Brisbane resident Selina Dunn was called over by her husband on Sunday morning when he discovered two double-yolked eggs whilst cooking the pair's barbecue breakfast.
"He called me out to say he had two double yolkers on the grill. We hadn't seen them in a couple of years," Ms Dunn said.
"The next day he cracked an egg into the pan to make an omelette and found another double yolker, and it just went on from there."
Ms Dunn said by the time the couple had finished the carton, 10 of the 12 eggs had double yolks.
"It turned into a bit of a competition who could find the most," Ms Dunn said.
"It was a bit unusual. This is certainly the first time in eight, nine years I've seen that many double-yolkers in a dozen. This is the most I've ever seen."
Ms Dunn added the last time she had found multiple double yolk eggs was a few years ago and she had called the egg company to tell them something was wrong with their chickens.
The chance of finding a single double yolk egg is believed to be about one in 1000.
But the phenomena may not be as rare as initially believed.
Nadine Goody, a second generation egg farmer and member of the Queensland United Egg Producers, said double-yolked eggs can occur when a hen is young and new to laying and she releases two yolks instead of one.
"If you think a lady can have twins, it works the same in chooks. So the egg is made and if another ova comes along they can produce two yolks in the one egg," Ms Goody said.
Loop- Scientists attached to The UWI Seismic Research Centre (UWI-SRC) have ended their tour of duty in St Vincent and the Grenadines at the La Soufriere volcano.
Activity at the volcano has declined steadily since the last explosive event on April 22, 2021, and all currently available monitoring data points to an end in eruptive activity.
However, residual steaming at the summit and lahars (mudslides) in the valleys surrounding the volcano will continue to be observed for some time.
The Soufriѐre Monitoring Unit (SMU) at the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) will now assume responsibility for the operations of the Belmont Observatory. Day to day monitoring of the volcano will be supported by the UWI-SRC remotely from its base in Trinidad.
The on-island scientific staff rotation ends an almost year-long occupation of the Belmont Observatory.
After the detection of the new lava dome at La Soufriѐre in late December 2020, UWI-SRC scientists based at the observatory oversaw the upgrade of the local seismic and ground deformation monitoring networks, conducted other fieldwork and ground-based measurements, and advised the Government of St Vincent and the Grenadines in the run up to the onset of explosive activity on April 9, 2021.
Senior Research Fellow (Geologist) at the UWI-SRC, Professor Richard Robertson believes that the volcano will now go through a period of adjustment saying: “The mountain went through a traumatic experience and will take some time to reshape itself”.
UWI-SRC Director, Dr Erouscilla Joseph reaffirms the Centre’s commitment to St Vincent and its residents indicating that “we continue to monitor La Soufrière in this new phase of activity and provide support to NEMO and the Government of St Vincent and the Grenadines”.
The volcanic alert level at La Soufriѐre remains at YELLOW.
Loop- The 2021 Hurricane Season officially ended yesterday and scientists said it lived up to their forecast. A total of 21 named storms (winds of 39 mph or greater) developed in 2021 with seven becoming hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or greater) and four being classified as major hurricanes (winds of 111 mph or greater).
The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said 2021 was the third most active year on record in terms of named storms and it marks the sixth consecutive above-normal Atlantic hurricane season.
This was also the first time on record that two consecutive hurricane seasons exhausted the list of 21 storm names.
NOAA scientists attributed the heightened hurricane activity in recent years to the warm phase of the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation that began in 1995.
The Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation is thought to be driven by a combination of internal climate variability and changes over time in small airborne particles, often referred to as aerosols, over the North Atlantic.
Hurricane Ida was the most destructive storm of 2021 causing over US$65 billion in damage and claiming more than 72 lives.
Hurricanes Ida, Elsa and Grace and Tropical Storm caused over US$20million worth of damage and claimed three lives in the Caribbean.
Elsa became the earliest 5th named storm on record.
Despite these challenges, the region’s disaster management agencies are thankful to have escaped the devastation that occurred in previous hurricane seasons.
“Dominica was once again spared impact from tropical cyclones during this season. In fact, since the passage of Hurricane Maria in 2017, Dominica has not experienced any significant impact from tropical cyclones. This is indeed a welcomed break,” The Office of Disaster Management in Dominica said.
“Collectively, we need to guard against forgetting hazard impacts in the short and long-term as well as lessons learned and best practices at the individual, community, institutional and national level to be better prepared for future events. We are operating in a multi-hazard environment including hydro-met, geological, biological as well as hazards resulting from human action and inaction. Being prepared is not an option but must be a lifestyle.”
Antigua and Barbuda’s National Office of Disaster Services stated: “November 30th marked the end of the 2021 hurricane season. There were 21 named storms with seven becoming hurricanes and we thank God for bringing us through the season without any serious effects.”
In the CARICOM region, where both people and ecosystem face heightened threats from climate change, standardizers are united in support of the London Declaration, accoring to International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
Approved in September 2021, the London Declaration to combat climate change through standards defines ISO’s commitment to achieve the climate agenda by 2050.
The threat of rising sea levels is a serious concern for low-lying countries and islands around the world. Disappearing beneath the water is the most catastrophic scenario, but there will be numerous, less immediately visible ways in which climate change will bring misery to people who are already suffering from the effects of a global addiction to fossil fuels.
Disrupted weather patterns will likely impact zones like the Caribbean which have, over a period of millions of years, thrived under a delicate balance between ocean currents and trade winds, and the predictability of regular wet and dry seasons. When compounded with the catastrophic effects of warming on marine life, and reefs in particular, it’s easy to understand why climate action is an urgent priority.
Many livelihoods depend on tourism which, as elsewhere, has taken a severe hit since the onset of COVID. There are plans for recovery but, in the long term, both governments and islanders themselves know that the priority must be a focus on sustainable development, resulting in a net-zero economy.
Across the Caribbean, national standards bodies are represented by the regional body CROSQ (the CARICOM Regional Organisation for Standards & Quality). CEO Deryck Omar is a lifelong standardizer and committed advocate for climate action who, in common with many global experts, believes that it is essential to maintain commitments to limit temperature rise to a 1.5 °C maximum. A virtual event earlier this year exploring sustainable energy showed how CROSQ is assisting in the fight against climate change and in the uptake of sustainable energy. Now their members have gone one step further.
These are complex issues requiring shared solutions and measurable results. The situation demands urgent action and International Standards are needed to make that a reality. That’s why CROSQ members fully support the London Declaration.
CROSQ members have committed to the London Declaration, an historic announcement made at the 2021 ISO General Assembly. Supporters of the Declaration are united in their resolve to use International Standards and the ISO system to solve our most pressing challenge – Climate.
Find out more about how the London Declaration puts ISO standards on the frontline of the battle to protect our planet.
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