Life Matters - Separate stories podcast

Given the extreme Australian climate, it's not at all paranoid to be ready for worst case weather scenarios like bushfires, floods and cyclones. But increasingly, the things we're preparing for are a little less foreseeable. Like a huge spike in petrol prices due to war or AI-induced doomsday. And last week the United Kingdom launched a campaign asking citizens to prepare their households in the case of "everyday services being disrupted" by severe weather and cyber attacks. So given the state of the world should we all be doomsday preppers?

When the phone is buzzing in your pocket and you answer it, what do you say? There are reports that the humble "hello" is dying, with a UK study showing that 40 per cent of 18-24 year olds agree answering the phone without any greeting is acceptable. How does language change over time and what could be the future of greetings be? This segment originally aired in an episode on September 14, 2026.

Men’s affection for each other has traditionally come wrapped in nods, handshakes and ribbing rather than earnest expressions of affection.

This week, the Aunties share their advice for listener Laila, who loves looking after her grandkids but is navigating some frustrations in the kitchen. Her daughter's family eat a strict vegan diet, and she's struggling to cater for the kids when they're at her place for the day. The situation is starting to stir up old tensions from her own parenting years.

Anger can be a powerful emotion that drives us towards change, but it’s also the emotion we're most afraid of.

When was the last time you hosted a dinner party or just dropped by a friend's house unannounced? Recent data out of the US reveals the number of people who regularly host friends and family has dropped 70 per cent over 50 years. So what's driving the decline, and what do we lose if spontaneous hospitality disappears for good?

Australia has rules for the quality of air we breathe outdoors, but inside our homes, schools, and public buildings it's a different story. We spend around 90 per cent of our time indoors, yet there is no nationally consistent, enforceable standard for indoor air quality. Experts say it's a critical public health gap, and an invisible threat to wellbeing and productivity. This week, a coalition of more than 70 organisations has called on the federal government to invest in a national healthy air strategy to better protect the air we breathe indoors.

For decades, Australia was making good progress on improving safety and reducing the national death toll on our roads. But the latest data shows that we're on track for the highest number of road deaths in 15 years. Cars have never been safer — packed with safety features and tech designed to stop you from having a crash. So if rules of the road have largely stayed the same, and the cars are smarter than ever, why aren't the numbers getting better?

Mildura recently unveiled Australia's newest Big Thing — a giant smiling sultana complete with cartoon eyes and mouth. It came just days after Windorah revealed a 4.6-metre yabby to join the giant crustacean crew, and a couple of weeks after Moora cut the ribbon on a a pair of endangered Carnaby's cockatoos standing at 11.5 metres tall. These oversized landmarks have become part of Australia's cultural identity — a must-see stop on a road trip and an iconic emblem of regional country towns. So why are we so big on big things?

It used to be when the bosses were away, the mice would play. But now if you don't move your mouse every 30 seconds, your manager will know about it.AI technology has fundamentally changed the way employees are monitored and surveilled on company time, in a shift that's been dubbed "metricisation". But what does it mean for our workforce when metrics are the sole focus?

When you hit your mid-60s, will you wrap up your working life? Or do you want to — or need to — work well beyond that? Recent KPMG modelling found the Australian economy could gain $29 billion if more older workers stayed on the job beyond traditional retirement age. Some pensioners want to keep working but say it's not worthwhile because of strict income limits. So how might we redesign work for people in their 60s and beyond?

Everyone performs better on a good night's sleep, but in some workplaces, that's easier said than done. Recent research from Monash University found up to 1 in 5 new paramedics are at high risk of shift work disorder, a combination of insomnia and excessive daytime sleepiness. Studies have also linked shift work with sleep-related errors on the job. So is there a way to make shift work easier and safer for the health care workers and the patients they're caring for?

A Californian startup wants to "unlock the sun's full potential here on Earth" and launch giant orbital mirrors that beam sunlight back to Earth on demand. Reflect Orbital says the light could be used to power solar farms after dark or illuminate search-and-rescue missions or construction sites. Who actually decides who can venture into space and what they can do there? And with light pollution already a growing problem, how might these beams of reflected light affect people, wildlife and space itself?

If something looks too good to be true, it usually is — especially online. Legislation has been introduced in NSW requiring real estate agents to disclose when images have been digitally altered or used generative AI in such a way that the pictures could mislead prospective tenants. It's meant to make it clearer to see where AI has been used to alter furniture, improve gardens or add completely new features that don't exist. Disclosure notices are there to protect consumers, but what do we know about how they impact our decisions?

We're coming up on a year of Australia's world-first social media ban for teenagers, but we know that once they're online it's still kind of a jungle out there. And it's a jungle that requires more than just a proof-of-age card to navigate. The Australian Digital Readiness Index surveyed 9-14 year olds about their preparedness for the online world, and found that age did not determine how ready a child was to apply skills like critical thinking and self-regulation online. So when it comes to your kids being ready to explore the digital world, how are you building the tools to navigate safely?

Throughout human history, we've always gathered by the water. From the mighty Swan in the west, to the Brown Snake in the east, rivers have been the lifeblood of our communities — they supply our drinking water, transit hubs, and for a long time, the place we would come together and cool off. But after years of industrialisation, the idea of going for a dip in your city river is probably a distant memory. Well, Melbourne's bringing it back, working on a plan to make the Yarra River swimmable by 2050.

Last week NSW became the first state in Australia to make terramation legal.Also known as human composting, it's an eco-friendly burial process where your body is turned into soil, and later used to grow a living memorial such as a favourite tree or flower garden. Alternative death ceremonies are increasing in popularity around the world as environmental spirituality becomes more of a priority for people. Could this be the next big thing?

Australian men are more likely to be more socially disconnected than Australian women, and are less likely to form strong connections with people beyond their partners. And while a majority of men think of their female partners as their best friend, less than half of their spouses feel the same way. So let's get into why the male friendship recession exists — and may actually be deepening — and how you can turn it around.

We've all had that one friend who likes to embellish their stories and fancies themselves a bit of a yarn-spinner. Lenny's friend Marcus has been like this since primary school, but now they've reached middle age, is it time to leave the white lies in the past and call his friend out?

There have been repeated calls from across the political divide this week to turn down the heat of our political discourse. After the alleged attack on MP Helen Haines, the way we converse and debate with each other has been called into question. So how has philosophy considered the art of debate and how to engage in respectful discussion?