Spectrum: A 7NEWS Podcast

For many Australian families, staying connected now depends on more than just picking up the phone. In this episode of Life Connected, powered by nbn, we look at the simple tech habits, internet checks and family routines that can help older Australians stay closer to the people they love. Dr Jo Orlando, Shaun White and Chris Grice explore how families can use technology to stay close, reduce isol...

Allana Crew was on the phone to her dad back in 2019 when she felt "something go" in her brain. She was a 32-year-old, healthy mum of two, who didn't drink or smoke. She had never imagined that she would suffer a stroke. A telehealth link called Telestroke connected her with a stroke specialist in Melbourne, hours away from her home in Gippsland. The doctor was able to identify Allana's unclear sy...

At 77, Peter Sheedy thought he knew where his family came from. But one online thread led him from his home near Mackay to a remarkable family story stretching from Ireland to the Mount Morgan mining fields in Queensland. What started with a nephew’s discovery on Ancestry opened up a family tree Peter he never would've found without the internet - revealing lost relatives, forgotten links an...

Paris hasn't sat in a mainstream classroom in years, not because it's too far but by choice. The flexibility of learning from home has empowered her to pursue her hobbies and prioritise the things that are most important to her. Homeschooling isn't setting kids back, according to Riverside Christian College principal Michelle Gouge who revealed their dux last year learnt entirely away from the cla...

Just days after the birth of her first child, Dubbo mum Letitia Bassingthwaighte experienced postnatal psychosis — a frightening condition she had never even heard of. The specialist help she needed was a four-hour round trip away, putting pressure on herself and her family. But as she prepared for the birth of her second child, everything changed. She found Gidget Foundation and its telehea...

Ten years ago, Gippsland Jersey was little more than an idea. There was no big marketing budget. No agency. No production crew. No national distribution network. Today, the regional Victorian dairy brand is stocked in supermarkets, supplies cafes, works with multiple dairy farms and has been recognised with awards including Australia’s Best Milk. The answer to her success lies in a combinati...

When 17-year-old Mac Holdsworth shares an intimate image of himself with someone he believes to be an 18-year-old girl online, he quickly becomes the target of a sex scam and is blackmailed for money. A year later, a person linked to Mac's bank transfer is taken to court and pleads guilty. But by then, the image has already been shared, and Mac has taken his own life. See omnystudio.com/listener f...

When two mothers’ babies - too young for vaccination - caught measles in the early 1980s, they never imagined it would lead, years later, to a fatal diagnosis that would cut their lives short. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Dan lost most of his vision at 16 due to a rare genetic condition, his world changed overnight. In this powerful and personal story, Dan shares what it was like to lose his eyesight as a teenager, how it impacted his identity, and the barriers he still faces in public spaces today. From using a cane to bonding with his guide dogs, to being denied access to venues, Dan speaks openly about what...

When Aiyden O'Donoghue falls from a moving train, he’s left lying on the track with the next one due in 15 minutes. He's 15 years old, and suddenly, his future looks more uncertain than ever. If you or anyone you know is struggling with depression or suicidal thoughts, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.  For any rail-related incidents, don’t hesitate to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000...

When Aiyden O'Donoghue falls from a moving train, he’s left lying next to the track with another one due in 15 minutes. He's 15 years old, and suddenly, his future looks more uncertain than ever. The full episode is coming Saturday, the 8th of March 2025. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

WARNING: This episode contains conversations about eating disorders and suicide that may be triggering to some listeners. When Katya Jaski was first diagnosed with atypical anorexia nervosa at the age of 13 in 2020 she didn't think she was sick enough. A year later, at the height of the pandemic, Katya's eating disorder became so serious she was admitted to Melbourne’s Monash Children's Hosp...

When Katya Jaski was first diagnosed with atypical anorexia nervosa at the age of 13 in 2020 she didn't think she was sick enough. A year later, at the height of the pandemic, Katya's eating disorder became so serious she was admitted to Melbourne’s Monash Children's Hospital. If you or anyone you know has an eating disorder, or if you would like information, referrals or counselling for eat...

When Sarah matched with a woman on the American-founded dating app Hinge in May 2022, things turned bad quickly. For the next 4-months, she will try and escape a both physical and emotional relationship.  Subscribe to 7NEWS Spectrum More 7NEWS podcasts   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When an unstable tree strikes a NSW RFS fire truck with five volunteers, only three escape.      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Irish backpacker Laura left her farmwork after a month of sexual harassment in 2018, she believed it was the end of her nightmare. However, years later she would discover that she was not the only one. This podcast tells the story of how three backpackers experienced inappropriate behaviour at the hands of the same farmer while working towards extending their stay in Australia. See omnystudio...

At 16, in 1990, Elizabeth Coleman learned the sect she was born into didn’t date back to Jesus as claimed. The discovery shook her, and she struggled with doubt and shame until—and even after—leaving in 1993. This is a story about Coleman's experience within the nameless sect and a deep dive into the sect's origins. Buy Elizabeth Coleman and Cherie Kropp-Ehrig's books: Preserving...

In 2008, Australian photojournalist Nigel Brennan and Canadian journalist Amanda Lindhout were kidnapped in Somalia by an Islamist insurgent group while reporting on the country's refugee crisis. They endured 460 days in captivity before being released in November 2009. This episode recounts the harrowing ordeal of a determined photojournalist held hostage in Somalia and his courageous sister's re...

Content warning: this episode discusses material related to sexual assault. What if it's not the past haunting us, but the present? For decades, hair-raising rumours of a tormented soul haunting Wilfred Barrett Drive have put the Central Coast on the map for hosting one of the most haunted roads in New South Wales. In this episode, we take a deep dive into the Jenny Dixon ghost story and look at t...

Since the early days of European arrival, hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people have claimed to have seen a two-metre tall, hairy, ape-like figure stalking the Australian bush, right across the country. So what is this mythical creature we know as the yowie? Join us as we look at the legend and meet a man who has devoted decades tracking it down. Host: Chris Hook Producer: Malin Hägglund &nb...