Life Matters - Separate stories podcast

When your relationship is on the rocks, what's your conflict style? The aunties are here to help our listener navigate a seemingly petty dilemma that could signal bigger issues.

If you've been paying attention to the news, to your social media feeds or to really any and all pop culture lately, you've likely heard that boys are not alright. They're isolated and mentally vulnerable. They're getting sucked into this thing called the manosphere. They're behind in school. But if you're only looking at the bad parts, the beauty and complexity of raising boys can be hard to see....

When you go outside at night, can you see stars? It might sound like a strange question if you live outside a major city, but for many Australians, the glow of our cities at night is making the stars harder to see — and it's getting worse. Data collected by citizen scientists around the world has found that light pollution is making the night sky 10 per cent brighter each year. It's not just affec...

Brands using celebrities to endorse their projects is nothing new, but what about using the likeliness of someone who has passed? Last week a Swedish manufacturing company released an ad featuring 1930s film star Greta Garbo, who passed away in 1990. The ad used AI to recreate her likeness and voice. The concept has been labelled 'ghostploitation', and it raises some serious questions for the adve...

Even if you've never been to the ballet, you're probably familiar with Mao's Last Dancer, the extraordinary memoir of Li Cunxin. It tells the story of how a young boy in rural China was plucked out of poverty to train at the Beijing Dance Academy and went on to become one of the most acclaimed ballet dancers in the world. Mao's Last Dancer sold hundreds of thousands of copies worldwide, and was ad...

From bodice rippers to romantasy, there is no denying the popularity and sheer commercial power of the romance novel. And while many a #BookTok influencer are all too happy to share their favourite spicy reads, for men who enjoy romance fiction, it seems there's still a certain stigma attached. So what would it take shift the narrative so that everyone could enjoy a little reading romp now and the...

Around the world, the leading cause of disability isn't infection, road injury or stroke. It's pain. A landmark study of 6 million participants from over 100 countries has sought to better understand pain over the course of a person's life. It found that women reported higher levels of pain across their entire body than men, and that overall, people experience heightened pain at age 55, peaking at...

Death is unavoidable, yet a new study has revealed Australia is lagging behind when it comes to understanding and preparing for it. The 2026 National Death Literacy and Readiness Report found just 52 per cent of Australians have completed their will, and only 29 per cent have talked about their end of life wishes. So why are we so unprepared for death, and how can we become more "death literate"?

For Australian entertainer and children's author Andrew Daddo, there is one classic kids' book that has stood the test of time. Sitting around the fire hearing about the adventures of a magic talking pudding stands out as a treasured childhood memory, and a uniquely Australian tale.

The last time you made a big change in your life, you may have felt overwhelmed by the pressure to make the right decision. Whether it be buying a house, popping the question or deciding whether to have another child, it's natural to feel anxious before these big moments. But when does that anxiety become too much? And how do you navigate those feelings to avoid analysis paralysis?

As daylight saving kicks off, and the debate about when the clocks move should move forwards and backwards returns, it's time for a philosophical chat about time. Who decides what time it really is? Because if we can just change it twice a year when the weather warms up, what does it even mean?

Collectively, Australians hold almost $350 billion in mortgage offset accounts attached to their home loans — and that balance has increased by 28 per cent over two years. But not everyone appears to be reaping the benefits. An ASIC investigation earlier this year found banks had paid out more than $55 million in compensation to customers in just two years, for failures with mortgage offset accoun...

The phrase "ditch the witch" has reappeared in Australian politics recently to attack and criticise female politicians — always associated with images of broomsticks and pointy hats. But why do we picture witches that way, and why are they associated with evil? The answer lies in a 15th century book. Malleus Maleficarum (The Hammer of Witches) was a manual for how to hunt, torture and execute wome...

For many Australians with a mortgage, kids and rising living costs, earning a six-figure salary is no longer the guarantee of comfort it once seemed to be. Results from the latest HILDA data shows the income Australians say they need to feel satisfied is climbing higher and higher. So is this just a case of lifestyle creep, or a genuine struggle to pay the bills even with a decent pay packet?

Life can change pretty fast. For James O'Brien, what started as a dream beach holiday ended up with him losing a leg.  There are over 160,000 amputees living in Australia and each one has their own story of loss and having to rebuild their life. In a new podcast called The Limb Shift, James shares his experience with other amputees, exploring stories of resilience and renewal.

This week, the Aunties share their advice with a listener who reconnected with an old flame at their high school reunion.  But how can they tell whether it was just a nostalgic fling, or if there really is something more waiting to be discovered?

Sex positivity has never been more talked about, but that doesn't mean the bedroom has caught up.  And the stresses of everyday life can make a big impact, from resentment over the mental load to the daily grind of parenting.  So what happens to a relationship when sexual satisfaction is lopsided?

From today, children in most parts of Australia with mild to moderate autism and developmental delays will begin transitioning away from the NDIS and to a new state-run program called Thriving Kids. It's a process that is expected to take 18 months, but not a lot is known about how Thriving Kids will work, and not every state is on board. What does this mean for the families impacted, and what nee...

Ageing tends to get a bad rap in a society that prizes youth. In a world obsessed with looks-maxxing, biohacking and optimising, many of us are actively trying to escape it. But growing old is a privilege, so perhaps it deserves more celebration. It brings wisdom, experience and neuroscience suggests some of our cognitive functions and emotional stability can increase over the years too. So it's t...

Australian consumers are living in a surcharge-free world with businesses now banned from charging for card payments. It sounds like a small win for households, but businesses will likely need to find a way to cover the cost. Could a surcharge ban lead to higher prices? Or could businesses start offering discounts to those paying with cash?

Yesterday the RBA raised interest rates to the highest point in 15 years. In a time where people are already doing their best to save, these pressures seem to be compounding on people. So if you are struggling, what are the practical things you can do for your mental health and best financial outlook?

Almost 170 years ago, the Australian game of football was born. But it would take more than a century before anyone dared to suggest that women could play professionally on a national stage, and another decade before that dream became a reality. The AFLW is now marking its 11th season in 10 years, which feels like an apt moment to reflect. So what kind of grit does it take to force change in a sys...

If you're feeling the burn right now, you are not alone. An estimated 82 per cent of workers are at risk of burnout, and the end of the year can be a risky period. Burnout is a deep-seated physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion brought on by long-term workplace stress.  It's a phenomenon that's been around long before it had a name, but are we any better at dealing with it now?

It was only a few years ago that piracy was one of the main concerns for the media industry.  But since the rise of streaming platforms, rates of piracy have dropped. No longer resorting to illegal downloads, Australians are now paying an average of $42 a month on streaming services. So how did the industry manage to convince people that paying for a service was better than getting the same conten...

More and more GPs are embracing the use of AI during patient consults. They use AI scribes to record, transcribe, and summarise everything we say. But in the wake of a rogue AI agent hacking into a Medicare website, public trust in AI has been shaken. So what happens to the data AI scribes collect, and can they be trusted with our most personal information?