Life Matters - Separate stories podcast

If you only got a few hours sleep last night and are miraculously functioning today, you have your early human ancestors to thank for that.  Sleep has played a crucial role in human evolution, and evolutionary biologist Dr David Samson argues our ability to function on little sleep is actually a superpower.  He's spent time observing how humans sleep in "natural environments" — that is, traditiona...

The average person spends around 90,000 hours at work in their lifetime. That's a lot of time to spend somewhere if you're not happy. So how do you know if it's time to leave? And when it comes to quitting, the when and how requires some thought.

The Australian Census is upon us. Among the questions that statisticians will be keenly poring over is a fairly simple one: what is the person's religion? There have been huge shifts in Australia's religious make-up since the Census began more than 100 years ago. In 2021, Christianity was still the most common response, but it had dropped by a million since 2016.  In the meantime, the number of pe...

In your relationship, are you the one who counts all the cents and tracks the budget? Or do you treat yourself, knowing you worked hard and deserve to splurge? Our attitudes towards money are shaped from years of experience and differing opinions can be a real strain on relationships.  Getting on the same page about money is essential, but how do you bring up this sensitive topic?

Emily Novo had put off seeing the dentist because she was worried about the cost. Then an abscess became so painful she ended up in a hospital emergency department. She's not alone. More than two million Australians have skipped dental care because they can't afford it, and one in three has untreated tooth decay, according to the Australian Dental Association (ADA). This week, a delegation of 40 d...

Australia is in the early stages of dealing with a bird flu outbreak that could have severe impacts on our native wildlife. With the first mass mortality event already underway, it is wildlife volunteers who are stepping up as the first line of response, spotting and caring for sick birds. As this outbreak continues, what will wildlife volunteers be called to do, and is it fair for them to be resp...

From commanding the halls of power to playing hide and seek in the halls of his house, former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has a lot more time on his hands now to devote to his favourite activity: playing silly games with his grandchildren. All throughout July we've been introducing you to a new side of prominent Australians as part of the Grandparent Trap series, like "grumpy Grandpa" Bruce Pa...

Public toilets are something you probably don't think about much until you find yourself in desperate need.  But when nature calls, it's always a relief to know there's a place nearby where you can take care of business. It's estimated there are at least 23,000 public toilets across Australia, but not all loos are created equal.  So what makes for a truly accessible toilet that works for everyone...

Having a beachfront home used to be the ultimate Aussie aspiration. But extreme weather events are eroding our iconic coastline, and for many, that dream is turning into a nightmare.  Last week the New South Wales Land and Environment Court ruled in favour of beachfront homeowners on the Central Coast who want to build a seawall to protect their homes from erosion.  But some experts are warning we...

Childhood friendships are special, and an important part of adolescence. But finding and maintaining strong and healthy connections in those formative years isn't always easy.  In the tween and teen years, friendship dynamics can be especially complicated. So how do you, as a parent or carer, help the young people in your life through the ups and downs of friendships? 

This week, the Aunties share their advice for a listener who's feeling weird about their son being taken to Sunday Mass while staying over at a friend's place.  Is it worth bringing up the discomfort with the other parents? And should they let their kid go for another sleepover?

Friendship is rewarding, but making new friends requires a level of bravery and vulnerability. Not to mention the logistics of organising regular catch-ups. Would you pay someone to take away the effort and awkwardness, and connect you to a group of potential new mates? Paid social clubs are bringing strangers together for events like shared dinners, drinks and social activities — offering in-pers...

If tomorrow a loved one disappeared from your life and went missing, who would you turn to? Every year 50,000 people go missing in Australia leaving loved ones in a state of ambiguous loss. How can you learn to navigate a state of unknowing and what support should be on offer for people going through this?

When you think about your golden years, what do you picture? For most of us, the ideal scenario means growing old in the place we've set down roots. While the idea of "ageing in place" has obvious benefits, it's not always feasible — particularly in parts of Australia where access to health and aged care services is limited.  The government is prioritising more funding to support aged care provide...

It can take a little time to find your feet after moving somewhere new — whether it's across the country or across the world. The familiar faces, places and routines are gone, and you're navigating your way into a new community. Where do you start? Are some places just friendlier than others, or can you fast-track your way to feeling like a local? We find out how to make a new city feel like home.

If you've ever agonised over how to manage your kids' screen time, or worried that their tech obsession is stunting their development, new research suggests you can probably take a big sigh of relief.  A 10-year study of almost 4,000 children in the UK has found that, after accounting for family functioning, there are no significant links between screen use and psychosocial development. So are our...

They say diamonds are forever, but maybe that isn't true. Over the last six months, major diamond mines around the world have either closed or stopped production, with one of the biggest companies looking to sell off 85 per cent of the business. With the growing popularity of lab-grown diamonds and changing consumer attitudes, does it really matter if the rock on your finger was pulled out of the...

When it comes to intellectual ability, the vast majority of us fall somewhere around the middle of the bell curve. But it's estimated that 10 per cent of students could be considered academically gifted, capable of learning at a much faster pace than their peers. Some are funnelled into accelerated learning programs designed to challenge them, while many high achievers are left to their own device...

Boys are less likely than girls to read for pleasure — especially as teenagers, according to international research.  Book influencer and fantasy author Luke Bateman recently told ABC's Australian Story we need more books written with boys in mind.  But researchers say addressing the gender reading gap is more complex than writing more "books for boys". So what really helps boys develop a lifelong...

It wasn't too long ago that smart phones were being lauded for how they made life so much easier and convenient. However, in the last few years we have seen a trend of apps, devices and strategies to make phones harder to operate in an effort to break our addiction to the technology.  What does the existence of these friction devices reveal to us about our habits, and how does convenience shape ou...

Last week the Clean Energy Council proposed a federal scheme to allow the regional areas that host renewable projects to directly benefit from their efforts. The nationwide legislated scheme would see councils receive money from energy companies for every megawatt hour of electricity generated by projects over their lifetime. The Clean Energy Council argues the industry's biggest problem isn't pro...

What are you willing to give up in order to do good? A takeaway coffee? A bigger house?  Meat? Ten per cent of your income? Renowned philosopher and ethicist Peter Singer has spent decades exploring that question. You might know his famous "drowning child in a pond" analogy, or his work on animal rights and effective altruism. His ideas have influenced the way we think about our responsibilities t...

Conventional wisdom tends to suggest we're sharpest in the prime of our lives, but recent research shows we can boost our cognitive performance well into old age. A study out of the University of Texas has put brain training exercises to the test and found there are benefits at all life stages. Researchers say their findings challenge the idea that cognitive decline is inevitable.

All through July, Life Matters has been exploring what it means to be a grandparent in 2026, but now it's time to turn inwards. What did your own grandparents teach you? Sometimes life lessons are passed down directly and explicitly, but often it's the little moments spent together, listening to their stories and absorbing their wisdom, that stick with you.   So what have you held on to from the g...

Early childhood friendships are usually pretty simple — struck up over shared interests in Lego, dress-ups or morning tea snacks. But the same can't always be said for adults.  So is it OK to steer your offspring towards other kids whose parents you might actually get along with?  This week the Aunties share their advice with a listener who's keen to broaden her son's friendship circle to bond wit...