With ailments such as asthma, allergies, hypersensitivity, and hyperactivity in children being linked to exposure to chemicals, families are increasingly looking for ways to maintain a healthy, chemical-free home. Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are substances found in many common household…
Read moreAuthor: Adam Nobel
Goldfish: monsters unleashed
Have you ever considered disposing of unwanted goldfish by releasing them into the nearest waterway? It might seem the kindest thing to do, but scientists have found they turn into monsters that choke the waterways and threaten the well-being of…
Read moreApartments built in a day
Builders in China have erected a modular 10-storey apartment block in just over a day, according to a time-lapse video released by the company. The building was assembled from standard container-sized modular units made in a factory by Changsha-based Broad…
Read moreRates lowest ever
In a move that surprised nobody, the Reserve Bank of Australia this week again opted to leave the official cash rate at its record low 0.1%. Most lenders are now offering between 1.8% and 2.5% on both fixed and variable…
Read moreHousing boom rolls on
Housing markets around Australia continued to surge in May, with CoreLogic’s national Home Value Index up 2.2% over the month. The rise in May was strong compared with April (1.8%), but weaker than the 32-year high recorded in March, when…
Read moreSeal up against winter chills
With winter upon us now, most outside activity over the next few months will be almost synonymous with cold and blustery conditions. Home usually offers a warm sanctuary, but if it is allowing the chill winds to enter, then heating…
Read moreHouse approvals reach new high
Approvals to build new houses reached yet another new high in April, according to data released this week by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). Overall, however, the figures show that the total number of dwellings approved fell 8.6% in…
Read moreHome, pegged
Australia has its Big Banana, Merino, and Prawn, but would you live in such an icon? Dubai – never one to shirk at outrageous architecture – has announced plans for a skyscraper in the shape of a clothes peg. Designed…
Read moreLong term tenancy
For eight centuries, the city of London has been paying rent to the Queen on property first leased in 1211. No-one knows exactly where the actual properties, consisting originally of a forge and a piece of moorland, are situated but…
Read moreAustralians win fair ‘fire’ definitions
Australia’s insurance giants have agreed to set fairer definitions of ‘fire’ following action by over 47,000 consumers, some of whom were caught short following last year’s bushfires. Consumer group Choice has confirmed that all major Australian insurers have now made…
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