Latest news with #Vegemite
Time of India
3 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Poison paradox : Here is how Australia's most dangerous animals contribute to medicine by saving lives
Source: BBC According to a BBC report, armed with a pair of bright pink tweezers, Emma Teni carefully operations a large and long-legged spider inside a small plastic container. Emma operates from a compact space known as the spider milking room. On an average day, she collects venom from up to 80 Sydney funnel-web spiders . Three walls are lined with shelves full of these spiders, partially concealed behind a dark curtain to help keep them calm. 'Sydney funnel-webs are arguably the most dangerous spiders on Earth,' Emma states calmly. Australia is known for its deadly creatures and this modest room at the Australian Reptile Park is vital to the national antivenom program which is a life-saving initiative in a country often humorously described as a place where 'everything wants to kill you.' Poison paradox researched by a spider expert Although the fastest recorded fatality from a Sydney funnel-web spider bite occurred in just 13 minutes which is tragically involving a toddler with the average time to death is closer to 76 minutes. With prompt first aid, survival chances improve significantly. Thanks to the antivenom program run by the Australian Reptile Park, there hasn't been a single fatality from a funnel-web bite since the initiative began in program, however, depends on the public to safely catch these spiders or collect their egg sacs. Every week, Emma Teni and her team travel across Sydney in a van marked with a giant crocodile decal, collecting spiders that locals have dropped off at places like vet clinics and community centers. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Secure Your Child's Future with Strong English Fluency Planet Spark Learn More Undo According to Ms. Teni, there are two key factors that make Sydney funnel-web spiders so dangerous which is their venom is incredibly powerful and they live in densely populated areas and are increasing the likelihood of human contact. Charlie Simpson, a 26-year-old handyman and gardening enthusiast, recently experienced this firsthand. After moving into a new home with his girlfriend, he discovered two funnel-webs in his yard. He safely caught the second one and brought it to a local vet, where Ms. Teni later collected it. As Ms. Teni carefully transfers another spider that arrived in a Vegemite jar, she emphasizes that the goal isn't to encourage people to take unnecessary the spiders collected by Emma and her team are brought back to the Australian Reptile Park, where they're carefully catalogued, sexed and are considered for a breeding program to help increase the number of spiders beyond what's donated by the public. The males, which are six to seven times more venomous than females, play a key role in antivenom production and are 'milked' for venom every two weeks. To extract venom, Emma uses a pipette connected to a suction hose, an essential setup, as each spider yields only a tiny amount. While just a few drops could be deadly, it takes venom from around 200 spiders to produce a single vial of antivenom. Emma, who originally trained as a marine biologist and once worked with seals, never imagined she'd end up milking spiders. But now she embraces it fully—she adores arachnids and is known by many nicknames, from "Spider Girl" and "Spider Mama" to 'Weirdo,' as her daughter affectionately calls fascination with Australia's creepy crawlies means friends, neighbors, and family frequently turn to her for advice. Where a bite least dangerous for poison Spiders are just a small part of the work done at the Australian Reptile Park, which has also been supplying snake venom to the government since the snake bites are a serious concern , the World Health Organization estimates around 140,000 deaths annually with many more left permanently disabled. In contrast, Australia sees far fewer fatalities with only one to four deaths per year, largely thanks to its highly effective antivenom program. At the park, operations manager Billy Collett demonstrates the process by retrieving a King Brown snake. He calmly secures the snake's head with his bare hands and places its fangs over a shot glass covered in plastic wrap to collect the venom. The venom is freeze-dried and sent to CSL Seqirus, a laboratory in Melbourne, where it is processed into antivenom—a procedure that can take up to 18 months. The first stage involves producing hyper-immune plasma. For snake venom, this means injecting controlled amounts into horses, chosen for their size and robust immune systems. For Sydney funnel-web spiders, rabbits are used since they are naturally immune to the toxins. These animals receive gradually increasing venom doses to build up their antibodies, a process that can take nearly a year. Once the antibodies are developed, the plasma is extracted from the animal's blood, and the antibodies are isolated and prepared for bottling and distribution. CSL Seqirus produces around 7,000 vials annually, covering antivenoms for snakes, spiders, stonefish, and box jellyfish, each with a shelf life of 36 months. Ensuring these antivenoms reach those who need them is a major logistical challenge. Vials are distributed based on the local species—for instance, Taipan antivenom is sent to northern Australia but not Tasmania, where the snake isn't found. Antivenoms are also supplied to the Royal Flying Doctors for reaching remote communities, as well as to the Australian navy and cargo ships to protect sailors from sea snake bites. Papua New Guinea also receives around 600 vials of antivenom annually. Once connected to Australia by a land bridge, the two countries share many of the same snake species, so Papua New Guinea is provided with antivenom free of charge—a form of 'snake diplomacy.' Also read: 57-million-year-old giant penguin fossil discovered in New Zealand sheds light on ancient marine life
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Toddler gives viral crumpet order—and mom's calm response wins the internet
If you're a parent of a toddler, you already know: mealtime is never just about food. It's a complex dance of requests, emotions, and changing whims. And no one captured that better this week than Australian mom and fitness influencer Steph Claire Smith, whose now-viral TikTok perfectly sums up the anxiety of trying to get a toddler's breakfast just right. Spoiler alert: it involved crumpets, Vegemite, jam, and a very particular set of rules from her 3-year-old, Harvey. The video opens with Smith, who's currently expecting her second baby, standing in her kitchen trying to decode Harvey's oddly specific crumpet order. 'So you want me to cut your crumpet in half and have jam on one side and Vegemite on the…' she begins—only to be quickly corrected by Harvey. There's a moment of adorable (and slightly panicked) clarification as she tries to get it right. Eventually, Smith learns that the crumpet must remain whole—not cut—and feature jam on one half, Vegemite on the other. Let that sink in: one whole crumpet, two spreads, divided—but not separated. The stakes? A toddler tantrum or morning peace. With crumpet prepared to spec, Steph presents it for inspection. For a few tense seconds, Harvey silently evaluates the plate. Then—relief! He approves the meal and even asks for a glass of milk to complete his breakfast. The internet, watching with bated breath, exhaled together. 'I was absolutely terrified for you,' wrote @.Griffiths.. @Laura Kathryn added, 'I held my breath when you asked if that was right ' With 4.3 million views and over 5K comments, the video hit home for thousands of parents who know the high-wire act of toddler food preferences all too well. Related: Toddler eats: 5 ways to overcome a picky eating phase Behind the laughs, there's a deeper parenting lesson in Steph's approach. She: Used a calm, validating tone Asked clarifying questions without getting frustrated Gave her toddler a sense of control while still keeping boundaries Modeled flexibility, emotional regulation, and grace under pressure Let them lead (within reason): Ask 'Would you like it whole or cut?' to offer control Narrate your moves: 'I'm spreading the jam on this side…'—this helps toddlers feel secure Stay calm when they flip the script: Changing their minds is developmentally normal Avoid the power struggle: It's not about the food—it's about being heard Related: Feeding therapist shares 'simplest switch' to help engage picky eaters at mealtime Whether it's crumpets or cereal, mealtime with toddlers often becomes a stage for learning autonomy, communication, and trust. And for parents, it's a reminder to lead with patience and humor—even when the jam placement feels like a high-stakes puzzle. As one @Ox perfectly put it: 'Having a toddler is like being the assistant of a high-profile executive who doesn't pay you and makes inconsistent, erratic, and illogical demands all the time.' We see you, parents. And we're cheering every perfectly prepared, toddler-approved crumpet you serve.
West Australian
28-05-2025
- Science
- West Australian
Unlikely suspect caught red-handed over failed rocket launch in Bowen, Qld
An unlikely suspect has been caught red-handed during an investigation to find out what caused an electrical issue that delayed the first Australian-made rocket launch in Queensland. Gilmour Space Technologies was due to launch its 23m Eris rocket on May 15 from a cattle paddock in Bowen, but it was aborted after an issue in the ground support system was identified. It was set to launch again the following day, but an electrical issue triggered the system to open the rocket's nose cone. Gilmour Space posted a photo of a suspect cockatoo chewing electrical wires at its launch pad in Bowen. 'Not saying this is the root cause of our electrical issues … but we're not ruling him out,' a spokesman said in the post. The post has been flooded with comments from people saying, 'Lucky he didn't launch, could have turned into a flamin' galah.' 'Only an Sulphur crested could stop a rocket from launching,' another person said. 'So computers have bugs and rockets have cockatoos,' a person commented. 'New thunder bird in Action!' another said. 'The single most destructive parrot/cockatoo of all time.' The test flight would have been the first time an Australian-made rocket had been launched into orbit, carrying a jar of Vegemite of course. A new launch window will be announced by the company once confirmed. Gilmour Space chief executive officer Adam Gilmour said the good news was their team and rocket were both fine. 'While we're disappointed by the delay, we're already working through a resolution and expect to be back on the pad soon,' he said. 'This is all part of the journey.'
Perth Now
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Bizarre reason for rocket launch delay
An unlikely suspect has been caught red-handed during an investigation to find out what caused an electrical issue that delayed the first Australian-made rocket launch in Queensland. Gilmour Space Technologies was due to launch its 23m Eris rocket on May 15 from a cattle paddock in Bowen, but it was aborted after an issue in the ground support system was identified. It was set to launch again the following day, but an electrical issue triggered the system to open the rocket's nose cone. An electrical issue forced a planned rocket launch to be delayed. Supplied Credit: News Corp Australia Gilmour Space posted a photo of a suspect cockatoo chewing electrical wires at its launch pad in Bowen. 'Not saying this is the root cause of our electrical issues … but we're not ruling him out,' a spokesman said in the post. The post has been flooded with comments from people saying, 'Lucky he didn't launch, could have turned into a flamin' galah.' 'Only an Sulphur crested could stop a rocket from launching,' another person said. 'So computers have bugs and rockets have cockatoos,' a person commented. 'New thunder bird in Action!' another said. 'The single most destructive parrot/cockatoo of all time.' A cockatoo has copped the blame for a failed rocket launch. Gilmour Space Technologies Credit: Supplied The test flight would have been the first time an Australian-made rocket had been launched into orbit, carrying a jar of Vegemite of course. A new launch window will be announced by the company once confirmed. Gilmour Space chief executive officer Adam Gilmour said the good news was their team and rocket were both fine. 'While we're disappointed by the delay, we're already working through a resolution and expect to be back on the pad soon,' he said. 'This is all part of the journey.'
News.com.au
28-05-2025
- General
- News.com.au
Unlikely suspect caught red-handed over failed rocket launch in Bowen, Qld
An unlikely suspect has been caught red-handed during an investigation to find out what caused an electrical issue that delayed the first Australian-made rocket launch in Queensland. Gilmour Space Technologies was due to launch its 23m Eris rocket on May 15 from a cattle paddock in Bowen, but it was aborted after an issue in the ground support system was identified. It was set to launch again the following day, but an electrical issue triggered the system to open the rocket's nose cone. Gilmour Space posted a photo of a suspect cockatoo chewing electrical wires at its launch pad in Bowen. 'Not saying this is the root cause of our electrical issues … but we're not ruling him out,' a spokesman said in the post. The post has been flooded with comments from people saying, 'Lucky he didn't launch, could have turned into a flamin' galah.' 'Only an Sulphur crested could stop a rocket from launching,' another person said. 'So computers have bugs and rockets have cockatoos,' a person commented. 'New thunder bird in Action!' another said. 'The single most destructive parrot/cockatoo of all time.' The test flight would have been the first time an Australian-made rocket had been launched into orbit, carrying a jar of Vegemite of course. A new launch window will be announced by the company once confirmed. Gilmour Space chief executive officer Adam Gilmour said t 'While we're disappointed by the delay, we're already working through a resolution and expect to be back on the pad soon,' he said. 'This is all part of the journey.'
