October 30, 2024 - Australia has reported a significant decrease in inflation, marking its lowest level since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Australian Bureau of Statistics announced a mere 0.2 percent rise in overall prices for the September quarter, resulting in an annual inflation rate of 2.8 percent. Key sectors such as clothing and footwear, housing, transport, and health all experienced price reductions, with electricity prices dropping by 17.3 percent, influenced by a federal energy supplement.
In a separate discovery, researchers have identified a new species of arthropod, 'Lomankus edgecombei', dating back 450 million years. This specimen was found in iron pyrite, commonly referred to as 'fool's gold', in the Beecher Trilobite Bed in New York. The fossil's exceptional preservation provides insights into the evolutionary adaptations of arthropods, particularly in their appendages used for environmental interaction and prey capture.