Life Matters - Full program podcast

Are there actually physical symptoms when you get your heart broken? Why do heart emojis look nothing like the thing beating in our chests? What can be done to save someone when their heart stops beating?

Helping you figure out all the big stuff in life: relationships, health, money, work and the world.

It's summer on ABC Radio National so we're bringing you some of your favourite stories from the year gone by.Today, we're giving you a peek behind the curtain of secretive extremist subcultures. They're in our backyards, but most of us know next to nothing about them.We speak to a journalist who delved down the rabbit hole of the history of conspiracy theories in Australia. We also look into the tradwife subculture, and speak to a young mum who says the movement has been co-opted by alt-right radicals. And a de-radicalisation specialist explains why young people are sucked into extremism online.

It's summer on ABC Radio National so we're bringing you some of your favourite stories from the year gone by.Today, we're diving into family relationships. During the holiday season, those ties feel more tangled (and more telling) than ever.They're fraught with complexities, but probably the deepest and most intimate connections many of us will ever have.We talk to a so-called "reproductive refugee" - who fled her home state, to create her own family and make her dream of motherhood come true.We also unpack whether a marriage can survive addiction, and look at the dynamics of family secrets.

Home can be a refuge where you curl up, feel safe and read a good book. But your sense of 'home' doesn't have to be a physical place. Psychologist Chris Cheers explores how you can find that sense of comfort wherever you are. Also, the aunties, comedian Nazeem Hussain and broadcaster James Findlay, weigh in on what happens when you love your friends but find their kids (kind of) annoying.

From the Life Matters archives, it's all about parents today.You'll hear about how the way we're sharing our kids identity online is shifting. We also ask what's driving a rise in homebirths, and how fathering - not fatherhood - has changed in Australia over the last century.Plus how comedian Matt Okine has totally changed his priorities and how he thinks about money since becoming a dad in My Two Cents.

It's summer! Which means you're hearing the best of the best from Life Matters this year.Today we're giving you the wrap up on all things work life balance.You'll hear from someone who thinks it's just important to have a hobby as it is to have a fulfilling job. And by now we know AI is coming for our jobs, but what would it mean for our career trajectory if it takes our internships? Plus the town trying to add a public holiday to it's roster for their resident's mental health, and a healthy tourism boost.

We're replaying some of your favourite stories from Life Matters this year for our summer specials.Today you'll hear our top stories to navigate the ethical minefield of shopping at Christmas time.If your kids are begging you for "dupes" of popular items - it's a double edged sword - on one hand you'll be saving money and on another you could be encouraging a trend that rips off smaller designers, so how can you manage it?And for the music lover in your life it's good news - CDs are back - and they're becoming an alternative for people turning away from unethical streaming companies.Plus if you're looking for a holiday with a bit of a twist - would you consider dark tourism? Hear why visiting a place with a dark past is on the up.

It's summer on Life Matters so we're bringing you some of your favourite stories from the year gone by.Today we're talking housing, diving into how downsizing isn't always as straightforward as it seems. We'll also dig into the strain housing stress can put on relationships, namely the self-induced stress of a renovation with Grand Designs Australia host Anthony Burke, and investigate what role modular housing can play in addressing supply shortages.

As kids, we imagine we'll hit a point when our 'adulting' instincts magically kick in, but many of us never quite feel as adult as we think we should. So what do we even mean when we talk about 'adulting', can we learn to do it, or is it better to learn that we don't really need to? Moya Sarner is a psychotherapist and journalist and author of When I Grow Up: Conversations with Adults in Search of Adulthood and Dr Rebecca Ray is a psychologist and author.It can be a delicate balance when you try to support someone you love in a time of need. It's even more complicated when that person moves into your home. In today's Ask Aunty, letter writer Daphne is trying to keep the peace after her newly-separated brother moves in with her family. Aunties Denise Eriksen, Journalist and Executive Director of Screen Careers and comedian and writer Bec Shaw offer their insights.

As cosmetic procedures and weight loss treatments become more widely accessible, body changes can be rapid. So when the body you've known for years changes in a profound way, how do you navigate that mentally? And when – if ever – is it okay to comment on other people's bodies, or have a conversation about their appearance? Steve Molk lost more than 100kg over the course of three years and Professor Gemma Sharp is a clinical psychologist who leads a body image, eating and weight disorders research program.When so many of us look back on the movies which shaped our childhood, one element stands out - the magic of Dick Van Dyke. The veteran actor is about to turn 100 - and he's still cheeky, energetic, and larger than life. So, what's the real secret to ageing well? Is it mindset? Attitude? Something more? Nancy Pahana is a geropsychologist and Everald Compton, 94, never plans to retire.When we want to weigh the moral heft of a political decision in this country, we don't crack open a philosophy textbook. We pull up a stool at the nearest bar and ask, "does it pass the pub test?" But why is this our gold standard? Patrick Stokes is an Associate Professor philosophy at Deakin University.

Being an active bystander - that is, speaking up or intervening in the face of injustice - feels like the right thing to do when you see something you disagree with. But it doesn't always go to plan, and your best intentions can backfire. There's new analysis suggesting that, in schools at least, encouraging kids to intervene isn't always helpful. So how are you meant to know when it's the right time to stop being a bystander and step up? Dr Karyn Healy is an Honorary Principal Research Fellow at the Parenting and Family Support Centre at the University of Queensland and Dr Vicki Webster is an organisational psychologist with a focus on the workplace and executive team.Artificial intelligence may be a lot of things ... chatbot, digital assistant... but can it be funny? An Australian researcher is trying to work out whether AI robots can do stand-up comedy. Not necessarily write jokes... but deliver a comedy routine that leaves people in stitches.So, do you think AI could make you laugh? Dr Robert Walton is a Research Fellow, Faculty of Fine Arts and Music, University of Melbourne and Nicolette Minster is a comedian and writer.We're asking your favourite Australians about their relationship with money in our series My Two Cents. So, is it raining cash in ABC weather presenter Nate Byrne's world?

In under 24 hours, the internet will look very different. Nationwide, anyone under 16 will be locked out of social media. Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram, X, Reddit, YouTube - all off-limits. If you're not yet 16, you'll be waiting until your birthday to log back in. Julie Inman Grant is Australian eSafety Commissioner.Many parents have voiced support for Australia's social media ban for under 16s - but that doesn't mean it will be an easy transition. In fact, experts say it will mean a pretty solid adjustment for families, and a lot to navigate. Professor Alina Morawska is a Parenting and Family Support Centre at UQ's School of Psychology and Cam Wilson is Tech Reporter at Crikey.You've been gearing up for a holiday all year... and now the day is finally here. The tickets are booked, bags are packed, you've even picked out your outfit for the plane. Psychologist Christine Bagley-Jones discusses how to manage different expectations of your holiday.

Whether it's the big flashy state library in your capital city, or the humble one in your suburb, the role of a library is stretching to meet demand for its free programs and resources. That evolution hasn't come without friction, so in modern Australia, who, and what, are our libraries really for? Cathie Warburton is CEO of The Australian Library and Information Association, and Dr Heather Robinson is Research Associate at Flinders University and author of Beyond the books: Culture, value, and why libraries matter.More and more people are turning to AI for spiritual support, by using bots for religious worship and guidance. They're known as "faith bots" and there's one for pretty much every belief. Christians can use Text Jesus. There's a virtual Islamic Scholar called Sheikh GPT. And Gita GPT allows you to exchange messages with the Hindu god Krishna. So, can AI help you become closer to God? Can it strengthen your faith? Dr Rosemary Hancock is a Senior lecturer and Convener of the Religion, Culture and Society Research Focus Area, at the University of Notre Dame and Venerable Dr JueWei, is Head of program of applied Buddhist studies and humanistic Buddhism at Nan Tien Institute.It's a time to eat, drink, and be merry. But for Australians struggling with - or recovering from - addiction, holiday gatherings can become a test of willpower. An addiction specialist shares his first Christmas off the booze. Benn Veenker is Manager of Lived Experience at Turning Point.

Developmental paediatrician Dr Billy Garvey says behavioural and emotional difficulties are the number one reason parents come to see him. But, Dr Billy says parents can learn to respond to challenging behaviour in a way that works for both them and their kids.What do you do when it feels like you and your in-laws speak different languages when it comes to parenting? And the situation is heightened when your mother-in-law moves in to offer emergency childcare? Aunties Bridie Jabour, author, journalist and associate editor at Guardian Australia and James Colley, head writer for ABC's Gruen, offer their insights.

New research claims that the number of empty dwellings across Melbourne has risen dramatically... from more than 27,000 in 2023 to nearly 32,000 in 2024. And across the country ... experimental ABS data suggests that up to 140,000 dwellings are sitting vacant. So, why would houses, apartments, and blocks of land be left sitting empty? And is there a way to utilise these properties to address Australia's housing crisis? Rayna Fahey is Director of Advocacy, Prosper Australia and Dr Michael Fotheringham is CEO of the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute.Only around one in twenty Australians eat enough fruit and veggies. The rest of us are falling way short of where we need to be. Price is a common complaint, but is fresh produce really that expensive? A Monash study has looked at the perception of prices of fresh produce - and found that displaying a cost-per-serving on the ticket induces shoppers buy more vegetables. Fiona Newton is an Associate Professor and consumer psychology expert at Monash Business School and Jane Martin is Executive Manager of the Food for Health Alliance.You've got dinner plans with a group of friends, and you've been looking forward to it for weeks. But in the days -or hours- leading to the catch-up... you get one... maybe several texts. Sorry, I can't make it. Sorry, work has been insane this week. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. So, are we flakier than we used to be? Dan Woodman is a Professor of Sociology at University of Melbourne.

From the desks we work at to the places we retreat to at the end of the day, the spaces around us quietly shape how we feel, how we live, and how we connect with each other. Good design isn't just about looks – it's about comfort, dignity, possibility, and the way a space can hold us, support us, even change us. Kevin McCloud, presenter of TV show Grand Designs and Tim Ross, comedian, broadcaster and self-described design nerd dig into how design can make our lives better.Have you ever asked a hairdresser or a tradie if they can do a better price for cash? Have you done work for someone and got paid "cash in hand." Or perhaps a friend has a small business with a percentage of income generated "under the table." Australia's shadow economy is thriving and Tony Goding, Assistant Commissioner and Chair of the ATO's Shadow Economy Taskforce, is one of the people cracking down on this illegal activity.

If you're heading on an overnight hike or about to tackle a challenging climb on your summer break, how much thought have you given to the worst-case scenario? It's not something anyone likes to dwell on, but preparing for all possibilities can be the difference between life, death, or being extracted by specialist rescue teams. So how prepared are you to venture into the wilderness? Dr Jo Kippax is an emergency doctor and 2026 Tasmanian Australian of the Year, Dr Jim Whitehead is a search and rescue trainer, and Krystal Dacey is a PHD candidate looking into the way we behave when we're lost in the wilderness.The Christmas party invite says smart casual. But what does that mean when it's 35 degrees and storms are on the way? And why are double pluggers acceptable in a Queensland office setting, but you'd never catch anyone in Sydney with their toes out at work? There's no doubt our weather and cultural trends influence what we wear. But how much personal freedom do we really have when we're getting dressed? Alex Haslam is a Professor of Social and Organisational Psychology, University of Queensland.Two major clothing retailers have been busted using AI-generated ads. Now Heineken, Polaroid, and Cadbury are pushing back- branding their campaigns "human made." So, why are we bothered whether an ad is AI-generated or not? Paul Harrison is Chair of Consumer Behaviour at Deakin University's Business School.

Last Thursday morning, a woman died and her boyfriend was seriously injured in a shark attack at a remote NSW beach. The attack happened as the couple was reportedly filming dolphins in the water. It's a tragedy... and the fifth fatal shark attack in Australia this year. So, are shark attacks on the rise in Australia? And what's the most effective way of reducing attacks? Professor Culum Brown is Head of the Fish lab at Macquarie University and Steven Pearce is CEO of Surf Life Saving New South Wales.AI is already pretty good at making decent music with bare minimum human input, but now one of the biggest AI-music generating platforms has partnered with one of the world's biggest record labels. It could mean the artificially-made music is about to be based on some of your favourite – and most popular – artists' work. So once the song is sung, do you care whether the music you love is AI or human-generated? Ben Lee is an Australian musician, Dr Emery Schubert is a Professor at UNSW, and Dr Ben Green is a music sociologist and Lecturer at RMIT. The consumer watchdog is urging shoppers to be wary of online "ghost stores" in the lead-up to Christmas. The ACCC has received more than 700 complaints about online stores suspected of misrepresenting themselves as local businesses. So how can you steer clear of online scams this festive season? And what should you do if you've been caught up in one? Dr Cassandra Cross is a Professor at Queensland University of Technology's School of Justice and Troy Hunt is a web security consultant and founder of Have I Been Pwned.

Although we’d all love to imagine you can have a second chance at love, the divorce rate for second marriages is double that of first. Psychotherapists Dr Zoe Krupka and Stephen Andrew have been a couple for 14 years and it's a second marriage for both of them. They say marriage number two can be the fulfilling and thrilling relationship people always hoped they could have.In high school, sorting out friendship drama can take up a lot of time, but it can cause even bigger headaches as adults. So what do you do when your relationship with your new best friend is upsetting your old best friend? Aunties Patrick Lenton and Dr Rebecca Ray get to the bottom of the problem.

A big backyard used to be part of the Australian dream. But a shift has happened over time. Block sizes for new houses across our cities have shrunk by 22 per cent in the past 15 years, according to the ABS. We're building bigger houses with smaller yards. So, RIP the backyard? What does it mean for our communities if backyards become a rarity?cCosta Georgiadis is a landscape architect and host of Gardening Australia, Professor Joe Hurley is at the Centre for Urban Research at RMIT University and Dr Thami Croeser is Deputy Associate Director at Regenerative Environments & Climate Action at RMIT University.As the social media ban approaches, Meta platforms are prompting users under 16 to download their data before they're removed from the platform. As Australia enters our world first of taking social media off of teenagers, what do we need to make sure they take with them? Tama Leaver is Professor of Internet Studies at Curtin University.When you die, what sort of assets will you leave and who's getting them? Or maybe you've handed over your inheritance early - helping your kids out with a house deposit, paying for their uni, or your grandkids' schooling. Financial expert David Koch says Boomers are putting a good retirement at risk to give their adult kids money. Koch argues that outside of a stable upbringing and a good education, you don't really owe your kids anything. So ... do you? Patrick Stokes is Associate Professor of philosophy at Deakin University.

When you think of the 1960s, what comes to mind? Hippies, Vietnam War protests, the music? What about the 1990s? VCRs, grunge music, minimalist fashion? We're about to reach the halfway point of the 2020s, so what is the defining legacy of this decade? Nic Carah is a professor at the University of Queensland School of Communication and Arts. She has never revealed her name publicly, but her opinions about fashion have made a huge impact. Fashion Critical started making "silly posts" to entertain her friends, but her platform ended up gaining a huge following. She tells us why we should never take fashion too seriously.Even at low speeds... if you have a car crash... and you're a woman... you're more likely to be seriously injured than a man. But interestingly, car crash testing and plane safety testing is dominated by "male" crash test dummies... and has been for decades. These dummies are part of a system of testing methods designed with men in mind.... and it's been letting women down. Natasha Heap is the Program Director for the Bachelor of Aviation at the University of Southern Queensland.

New plans in Victoria and New South Wales seek to address the issue of underquoting houses set for auction. So, will these reforms create a fairer system? Will they help first home buyers? And will the changes do anything to address Australia's housing crisis? Melinda Jennison is president of the Real Estate Buyers Agents Association of Australia, Andrew McCann is chief executive of Jellis Craig Real Estate Agents, and Richard Denniss is an economist and co-CEO of The Australia Institute.If you're over 50, new research shows that unaffordable and poor quality housing is getting in the way of living a dignified second act. Lynette Stevens is living in community housing after leaving her long-term tenancy, Fiona York is Executive Officer, Housing for the Aged Action Group, and Dr Piret Veeroja is lead author of new research from Swinburne University.What happens when your ex announces their engagement... and the news throws you? Psychologist Christine Bagley-Jones unpacks the emotions at play.

For the third year in a row, ABS figures show an increasing number of Australians are taking on two or more jobs as the cost of living rises. Lessleen Makoni is working two jobs to get by in Sydney, Isaac Koomson is a senior research fellow the University of Queensland's Centre for the Business and Economics of Health, and Dr Isaac Gross is a senior lecturer in Economics at Monash University and former RBA economist.For many of us who work, this time of year is a countdown until much-needed holidays over Christmas and the New Year. But a large number of people will push through with no break from work... not even on Christmas Day. Now, a new legal ruling has enforced the concept that employers must "request not require" staff to work on public holidays. Andrew Stewart is a Professor of Work and Regulation at the Queensland University of Technology and Sarah McCann-Bartlett is Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of the Australian HR Institute.Women's teams are breaking records and hearts, with the Matildas selling out stadiums and record attendance for the women's Ashes earlier this year. But at the grassroots, the gap is real: data shows that nearly 30% more boys aged 0–14 participate in club or association sport than girls. Nikhil Kulkarni is the author of My Summer of Cricket, James Kay is a PhD Candidate at Flinders University's College of Education, Psychology and Social Work, and Dr Rochelle Eime is a Professor of Exercise and Sport Science at Federation University.

According to the last census, there were 2.6 million Aussie couples without children... and projections that couple-only families are set to increase in the country. Not only that, there's also been a cultural shift: People without children have a growing visibility... they're more likely to share and celebrate their lives. Tanya Williams is the author of A Childfree Happily Ever After and Dr Imogene Smith is a Clinical Psychologist at the Cairnmillar Institute.Today's Ask Aunty letter-writer is in a reflective mood about the way he treated a classmate many years ago. Should he try to make amends? Today's aunties are James Findlay, ABC broadcaster and journalist, and Monica Dux, writer, commentator, and columnist.

Pill testing was available at Schoolies on the Gold Coast in 2024, but this year the Queensland government has taken a firm stance against the practice. So what conversations do parents need to have with their kids to stay safe this summer? Jennie Ross-King became a drug harm prevention advocate after her daughter's overdose death in 2019, Cameron Francis is the CEO of national drug-checking service The Loop, and Sophia, 19, plans on using drug-checking services at Strawberry Fields music festival.A new report from the Australian Human Rights Commission details the how older people too often feel unseen, unheard, or undervalued in the healthcare system. It found that perceptions of ageism are widespread across all levels of the health system, from how older people are treated by staff to broader systemic and policy issues. So how does ageism impact quality of care for older Australians, and how can we stamp it out? Val Fell is an Aged Care Council of Elders member, Robert Fitzgerald is Age Discrimination Commissioner and Patricia Sparrow is CEO of Council on the Ageing.The swear words that used to shock us… don't anymore. They've lost their sting. Researchers have unpacked the words Aussies really cringe at in 2025 - and it turns out slurs are now much more taboo than curse words. Our outrage has moved on to a whole new set of offensive words. Dr Joshua Wedlock is a researcher at Macquarie University's Department of Linguistics.

Schoolies travel has been a rite of passage for Aussie teenagers since the 1970s, but the event that was synonymous with getting sauced on the sandy shores of the Gold Coast is changing. Many young people are heading overseas to places like South-East Asia, Fiji, or Vanuatu. So, is it a good thing that today's school leavers are rewriting the script, ditching the binge-drinking and redefining what makes this milestone meaningful in the first place? Grace Richards is Growth and Marketing Manager at Schoolies.com and Dan Woodman is a Professor in Sociology at the University of Melbourne.The average Australian worker does 3.6 hours of unpaid overtime a week. National Right to Disconnect Laws, which were supposed to tackle work-life imbalance, were phased in last August. So, has anything changed? Fiona Macdonald is the Director of the Centre for Future Work and Dr Ben Searle is an organisational psychologist.The trailer for the The Devil Wears Prada sequel has dropped - and viewers immediately noticed a huge change in the dynamic between the two main characters. In the original film, magazine editor Miranda Priestly famously terrorised her staff, but also served as an unconventional mentor to Anne Hathaway's character. In the sequel's trailer, the pair look to be on even footing. So, who shapes our careers? And how big a difference can a mentor make? Professor Naomi McClure-Griffiths is an astrophysicist whose two mentors helped guide her career and Norah Breekveldt is the author of Me and my Mentor.

In the United States, there's a new proposal to address their nation's housing crisis. The Trump Administration is working to introduce 50-year mortgage terms for home buyers. Here in Australia, some lenders have recently started offering 40-year mortgages. One-third of Aussie adults polled said they'd take out a 40-year home loan if it reduced their monthly repayments to a more affordable level. So what are the pros and cons of longer mortgage terms? Eliza Owen is Head of research at Cotality, formerly CoreLogic Australia and Molly Benjamin is the founder of Ladies Finance Club.Australia is on the cusp of welcoming its one millionth refugee visa since the second world war. Behind that statistic are so many stories of upheaval and hardship, but also resilience and hope in starting a new life. Ogy Simic is the Head of Refugee Leadership and Advocacy at the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre and Daniel Ghezelbash is Professor and Director of the Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law at UNSW.There's a growing trend of adding supplements and vitamins to every meal and snack. Between vitamin gummies and drinks fortified with this or that, we're constantly being sold "extras" ... even as headlines warn of inconsistent dosages and questionable efficacy. So, what's the consumer psychology behind their appeal? Paul Harrison is the Chair of Consumer Behaviour at Deakin University's Business School.

It's sales season and Black Friday takes place on the last Friday of every November. But it's no longer just a day. It's more like a month-long retail extravaganza. So, how did Black Friday evolve from a US phenomenon... to our biggest sales event? And what impact is this having on our year-round spending? Gary Mortimer is a professor of consumer behaviour and retail marketing at QUT Business School and Fleur Brown is Chief Industry Affairs Officer at the Australian Retailers Association.If you've got adult kids in 2025, you'll know that reaching independence looks a lot different now than it did in your day. New research confirms what lots of us already know - the intensive phase of parenting doesn't end on your child's 18th birthday anymore. Dr Susie O'Brien is a journalist and the National Education Editor with News Corp. She has three children living at home with her - including two young adults. And Dr Julia Cook is a youth sociologist at the University of Newcastle.In My Two Cents, we ask those questions you'd rather not answer about money. Today hear how actor, artist and author Ione Skye makes and spends her money.As the school year winds down, many teenagers are about to start the next chapter of their lives – and potential careers. Whether it's a bit of summer work experience or a mandatory placement for a university degree, unpaid work can often feel like the only way for young people to get a foot in the door. So how did working for free become the norm? What supports are available? And when does an internship stop being experience, and start looking like exploitation? Andrew Stewart is a professor of Work and Regulation at the Queensland University of Technology and James Sherriff is a third-year teaching student and co-founder of Students Against Placement Poverty.

It’s the time of year when you can't wait for time away from your job. But, as you reset for 2026, workplace researcher Dr Michelle McQuaid says there are lots of changes you can make to how you "do work" and how you "do life" so you feel re-energised in both these domains. And when it comes to complicated relationship dynamics … what happens when your marriage ends but your best friend and his wife remain close to your ex? Today's aunties work out who gets what in this potentially very messy split. Bridie Jabour is a journalist, author and associate editor at Guardian Australia and Lachie Mackintosh is Life Matters executive producer.

Across Australia, the laws around begging vary from state to state. In Victoria - where begging is illegal - its become an issue of public debate, following an inquest into the death of a Melbourne woman who was forced by her abusive partner to beg for food, cigarettes, and money. A Victorian coroner didn't criticise police, but said officers responding to complaints about her begging seemed to treat it as an individual issue rather than considering it in a broader context. And that's really the heart of it. Begging isn't just about someone asking for spare change ... it's a visible symptom of much deeper social problems. Thalia Anthony is a Professor in the Faculty of Law at University of Technology Sydney and Deborah Di Natale is CEO of the Council to Homeless Persons and a director on the board of Homelessness Australia.The federal government is pushing local content quotas, forcing big streaming platforms to invest in Australian-made shows. Yet fewer Year 12 students are choosing creative arts subjects like drama, music, dance and visual arts. Can you blame them? For years, it’s been all about STEM, with arts degrees now costing nearly $55,000 and many universities making cuts to creative programs. So, are we doing enough to support the next wave of artists and performers? And what do we lose — as a country and a culture — if we don’t? Dr John Nicholas Saunders is a Lecturer in Education at Australian Catholic University and Chair of the National Advocates for Arts Education and Madeleine Dyer is a writer-director behind Colin From Accounts, Ghosts Australia and Austin.Throughout 2025, ethicist Patrick Stokes has been unpacking the thorny topics for us in the segment Ask Aristotle. "Is it ok to lie in a memoir?", "Am I evil for not wanting to be around children?", "Is it ethical to create AI clones of people who've died?" This week, we take an opportunity to get back to basics. What sort of lessons did Aristotle actually espouse? What are some golden rules of philosophy we can apply to our lives in 2025?

Would you give up Christmas presents? Or are you like many of us and associate what you spend, with how much you care? There's been a backlash against over-consumption, so why do we still go wild at Christmas? And how can we untangle ourselves from the cycle of holiday spending? Steph Thompson went on a no-buy challenge, Daniel Kiely is an economist at Curtin University and Dr Paul Harrison is head of consumer behaviour at Deakin University.Picture your favourite Australian beach. Imagine a headland, the fish & chip shop, sun-worshippers, beach flags snapping in the wind ... and that surf club standing guard by the shore. That view - that classic image of the Australian coast - is in trouble. Eroding dunes. Crumbling cliffs. Clubhouses teetering on the edge. Coastal erosion is quickly reshaping Australia's iconic coastline. So what can be done? Glenn Arnold is the President of Inverloch Surf Life Saving Club, Steven Pearce is the CEO of Surf Life Saving New South Wales, and Prof. David Kennedy is a coastal geomorphologist at the University of Melbourne.You've probably seen BMX dirt jumps popping up in parks or empty lots ... built by the riders themselves, for the riders. It's creative, social, and physical… but it's also what gets them into trouble, as councils across the country crack down on these DIY tracks. New research shows that it's this activity that takes place outside of organised sport that can be really beneficial. So if we're pushing teens off their screens, don't we owe them real-world spaces where they can actually build something ... together? Julie Ritchey is a Brisbane mum who spearheaded a local protest to protect DIY BMX jumps in her neighbourhood and Dr Dave Camilleri is a Senior Lecturer in Education at the University of Melbourne.

Last week police and health inspectors shut down two illicit tobacco stores in Sydney... the first to be closed under new state laws targeting illegal tobacco. Which is big business -- organised crime is making about $10 billion a year from it, and it comprises half of the products sold to the country's 2.7 million smokers. Meanwhile, the legal sale of cigarettes has slowed. So what impact is this having on Australia's smoking rates... and your local community? And if the goal is fewer smokers and a healthier population... are we still on the right track. Anita Dessaix is the Chair of Cancer Council Australia's Public Health Committee, Dr Raglan Maddox is an Associate Professor at the Tobacco Free team at Australian National University, and Theo Foukkare is CEO of the Australian Association of Convenience Stores.Tesla shareholders have approved a record-breaking pay package for Elon Musk, a deal that could make the world's richest man the first person in history to become a trillionaire. So how did we get to a place where one person can accumulate so much wealth? And why is the gap widening between the world's richest and the rest of us? Carl Rhodes, Professor of Business and Society at the University of Technology Sydney and author of Stinking Rich: The Four Myths of the Good Billionaire.When you're stuck in a lift ... or waiting for a meeting to start, what's your go-to "small talk" opener? "Wow, it's hot today." "How was the traffic on the way here?" "Did you find somewhere to park?" Why do we even make small talk? And what happens if you just ... stop? Psychologist Christine Bagley-Jones offers a deep-dive on small talk.

What would it take for home owners to let go of the idea of their house as a financial asset, and to re-think what owning a home means? One Australian capital city is bucking the trend of skyrocketing house prices. While investors groan, should we actually be celebrating this? How can we share the wealth around? Michael Fotheringham is CEO of the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute and Gavin Jackman is a Homes for Homes adviser.Keeping track of your subscriptions can feel like a full-time job.From streaming services to gym memberships, toilet paper deliveries and even cars that come with in-app purchases just to turn on heated seats — it's starting to feel like we're subscribed to everything, but actually own nothing.So how do we steer clear of subscription traps? Are consumer protections keeping up? And are we heading towards a future where ownership is a thing of the past? Chandni Gupta is Deputy CEO and Digital Policy Director at the Consumer Policy Research Centre and Kirsten Drysdale is an independent journalist and host of YouTube channel The Internet, Reviewed.Many schools don't offer swimming lessons. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they were cancelled altogether - and lots of kids never went back. Now advocates say teenagers need a refresher course. They are calling for older children to get back to swimming lessons - amid a spike in downing deaths in people between 10 and 20 years of age. Dr Justin Scarr is the Chief Executive Officer of Royal Life Saving and Julie Zancanaro is a swimming instructor.

We often think about consent as something related to sex, but consent plays a role in many everyday encounters. Talking to your kids about consent can be anxiety-inducing. What can be even harder is having that conversation with your parents, in-laws, uncles and aunts. But, with consent education becoming mandatory around the country, there are strategies parents can learn if they want to bring those lessons back to home-base. Jane Gilmore is a journalist, researcher and author of It Takes A Village To Teach Your Children About Consent and Vanessa Hamilton is a sexuality educator, registered sexual health nurse and author of Talking Sex: A Conversation Guide For Parents.

Around the country, it's getting more expensive to get rid of rubbish... and there are fewer places to dump it. It is a warning the waste industry has voiced for a decade, but for many councils, the reality is about to hit. On the Gold Coast, rubbish tips will be exhausted within a decade ... it's a similar story across Australia. So ... when the landfill runs out ... what do we do with all our waste? And how do we reduce the amount we produce in the first place? Rick Ralph is CEO of the Australian Resources Recovery Council and Professor John Thwaites is the Chair of the Monash Sustainable Development Institute and Former Chair of the Circular Economy Ministerial Advisory Group.At any given time there are 1,850 people waiting for a life changing organ transplant in Australia. What's it like to navigate the donation process? And what does it take to convince someone to make a donation that not only changes someone else's life, but theirs as well Rechelle Coombes is on waitlist for a pancreas and kidney transplant and Chris Thomas is CEO of Transplant Australia.The Apple doesn't fall far from the tree, especially for Chris Martin's family. The Coldplay frontman's daughter recently sung at a gig in Nashville - and reviews have been mixed. So, is this an example of privilege and nepotism, or is Apple just following a time-honoured tradition ... and inheriting the family trade? Dan Woodman is a Professor of Sociology at the University of Melbourne.

If you don't own your home or if you live in an apartment and can't put panels on the roof, you've largely been locked out of the benefits of rooftop solar energy. In a small way, that changed this week when the government announced plans to give households access to free electricity for three hours every day ... in an effort to encourage energy use when excess solar power is being fed into the grid. Dr Saul Griffith is Chief Scientist at Rewiring Australia and Davood Dehestani is CEO and founder of energy start-up Smartizer.We're told it's getting harder to raise kids, amid a cost of living crunch. But that isn't what the numbers show. New research shows having kids is no more costly than it was a few decades ago ... so why does it feel that way? And if you need to be frugal - where should you put your pennies? What's the best thing you can invest in Associate Professor Ben Phillips is a Principal Research Fellow at the ANU's Centre for Social Research and Methods and Robyn Titmus is the mother of Olympic swimmer Ariarne Titmus.A new report out of Europe has shown that a few big name companies are creating children's toys that have harmful levels of chemicals on them. It's obviously not good news, but at this point is it even possible to avoid nasty chemicals that are already out there in the world, for us and our kids? Dr Rachael Wakefield-Rann is research principal at the Institute for Sustainable Futures at Univeristy of Technology Sydney

There are plenty of benefits to power-assisted pedal bikes, or "e-bikes", they're great for commuting or touring a new town. But not all e-bikes are created equal, some are so heavily modified they're basically motorbikes. One of the hardest things for parents to navigate is exactly what kind of e-bike might be safe for your child, and understanding the risks to their safety and others around them.If you've been diagnosed with coeliac disease, skipping gluten isn't a trend – it's a medical must. But for everyone else who swears they're "gluten sensitive" or "intolerant", is gluten really the villain it's made out to be? According to a new research review published in The Lancet, your gluten sensitivity could actually be something else entirely.Was your most picture-perfect holiday actually your best holiday? Science says we tend to conflate the two. So, why do perfect holiday photos make us feel we had a perfect holiday? And the book that changed Formula 1 engineer turned baking icon Kate Reid's life.

The rise of apps linked to childcare centres gives crucial reassurance to worried parents that children are safe and happy at daycare. Throughout the day, educators snap pictures of activities and upload them to the app.But what happens to the pictures and sensitive documents accumulated over the years on these apps? Some parents, like Niels Wouters, are finding out that when your child graduates to big school, their data doesn't automatically go with them. Luci Pangrazio is an Associate Professor at Deakin University and Chief Investigator at the Centre for the Digital Child and Nesha Hutchinson is Vice President of the Australian Childcare Alliance.Four years after the Aged Care Royal Commission's final report, one of the cornerstone reforms came into effect on Saturday: a new federal Aged Care Act. So do these changes bring us closer to a system we can trust to care for our parents ... and ourselves? Debra Nicholl is CEO of Elder Rights Australia and Lisa Backhouse has been advocating for aged care reforms and gave evidence to Royal Commission about the substandard level of care her mother experienced.In Australian primary schools, many tuckshops are struggling, teachers are paying for kids' lunches out of their own pockets, and some public primary schools are hiring chefs. And yet, many kids are still going to school hungry and without lunch. So, why is lunch a growing challenge for Australian schools? Bec Spink is the principal of Wirrigirri Primary School in Victoria and Rebecca Golley is Professor of Nutrition and Dietetics at Flinders University.

Author of the international bestseller The Happiness Trap: Stop Struggling, Start Living, Dr Russ Harris says ruminating, over-thinking and worrying can all be kinds of "suffering." Dr Harris says evidence shows that with practice, anyone can rewire their neural paths and dramatically shift their thinking patterns. And in Ask Aunty, a letter-writer asks, can I set the rules when my grandkids visit? This is a dilemma about a clash of parenting and grandparenting and the issue at play is screen-time. Aunties Denise Eriksen, Screen Careers Training Manager, I’m a Celeb Get Me Out of Here (UK), and Joe Sullivan, Radio National producer, offer their insights on the drama.

The Bureau of Meteorology has revamped its website and to say that people have strong opinions is an understatement. Whether you like or loathe it, the flood of reactions shows how the weather means so much more to us than small talk. So what is it about the weather... why are we so obsessed? Nate Byrne is ABC News Breakfast weather presenter and meteorologist and Lawrie Zion is professor of journalism at La Trobe University and author of The Weather Obsession.Commercial operators are using national parks for lodges, glamping, and private accommodation.New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service has called for expressions of interest from businesses to provide "supported camping" in 16 national parks and reserves across the state. So, is this a valuable source of revenue? Does it make our national parks more accessible? Or is this just privatising public space? Jessie Burke is President of Bushwalking NSW and Sonya Underdahl is Professor of Environmental Sociology, Edogawa University in Japan.Suzanne Somers was one of the biggest TV stars of the 1980s and 1990s... starring on sitcoms like Three's Company and Step by Step. She also made a name for herself marketing the iconic fitness gadget - the ThighMaster. Sadly, Suzanne died of cancer in 2023... but now her husband of 46 years has brought her back... kind of. Somers' widower Alan Hamel has created an AI clone of her and plans to upload it on her website, to be a 24/7 AI chatbot for her fans. So, is this ethical? Patrick Stokes is Associate Professor of philosophy at Deakin University.

In 2003, Courtney Act made a splash as a contestant on the first season of Australian Idol. And since then Australia's most famous drag queen has a string of achievements under her heels. But for many, Courtney made a more significant impact by educating people on queer issues such as gender fluidity and sexuality. Now the man behind Courtney - Shane Jenek - is stepping into the spotlight. And he's just released his first children's book titled Confetti and the Rainbow Garden.For many people, their bedtime involves tech... wearable sleep trackers like rings and watches... even gadgets for under the mattress. Sleep monitoring is a booming industry. People who are deep into analysing their shut-eye have even been labelled "sleep data nerds." But is all this extra data helping people get a more restful night's sleep? Dr Donald Lee is a respiratory and sleep physician at Woolcock Institute of Medical Research and Dr Dean Miller is a sleep and circadian scientist at CQ University.It might be hard to believe but one of the biggest social media platforms Instagram turned 15 years old this month. From the carefree days of grainy filters and photos of Sunday brunch to influencers and doomscrolling, social media has shaped our lives in so many ways. So are our lives better or worse with social media? And with the growth of AI, what does the future look like on these platforms? Jean Burgess is a distinguished professor of digital media at Queensland University of Technology and Konrad Benjamin is a former teacher and founder of Punter's Politics.

Jimmy Wales might not have the name recognition of Mark Zuckerberg or Elon Musk, but his invention has been just as influential to the history of the modern internet. He co-founded a website you might have open in another tab on the device you're looking at right now: Wikipedia. He has written a new book called The Seven Rules of Trust: Why it is Today's Most Essential Superpower. Did you have a Facebook account around 2013? If you did... you may be eligible for compensation from its parent company Meta as part of a landmark $50m privacy breach payout here in Australia. The payments stem from Facebook's involvement in the Cambridge Analytica scandal, a massive data breach in the 2010s. Dr Katharine Kemp is an Associate professor at the faculty of law and justice at UNSW.

In Victoria, some foster carers are reporting sudden reductions in their allowances for looking after children with high-level needs. It highlights the ongoing challenges around the country when it comes to finding foster carers for children who need safe and stable homes. So, what needs to change? Emma is a foster carer, Samantha Hauge is Chief executive of the Foster Care Association of Victoria, and Renée Leigh is CEO of Adopt Change, and member of the National Foster & Kinship Care Collective.In Queensland, it's illegal to feed or rehome stray cats.Councils favour trapping and euthanising - in a bid to protect wildlife. We could be about to see changes to the regulations. So, how do we strike a balance between kindness to all animals - and preserving our fragile ecosystem? John Tracey is CEO of the Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland and Jacquie Rand is the Executive Director of Australian Pet Welfare Foundation.There's a new type of consumer pricing that’s targeted just to you – personalised pricing. It’s a price set just for you, based on how much a company thinks you’re willing to pay for something because of your own distinct internet trail. So how do you know if this is happening to you? And is there anything you can do about it? Meg Elkins is an associate professor of behavioural and applied economics at RMIT University.

Do you feel like you are heard, appreciated and cared for? The concept of "Mattering" is increasingly seen as playing a key role in how positive you feel about your life. Professor Gordon Flett is at the forefront of research in this field. He is Professor Emeritus of psychology at York University in Canada and the author of The Psychology of Mattering: Understanding the Human Need to be Significant and Mattering as a Core Need in Children and Adolescents.And in Ask Aunty, when your family's bin is constantly overflowing… And there's one across the street that's consistently empty….. is that too good an opportunity to go to waste? So, does victimless bin appropriation exist? Today's aunties are comedian Geraldine Hickey and Simon Kennedy-Jewell, Ethi-Call counsellor for The Ethics Centre.

A new study from RMIT has found bringing residential speed limits down from 50 to 30 kilometres an hour would protect cyclists. Other studies show a drop in residential speed limits even more benefits, especially for our kids. So what do we need to do to make our streets safe, healthy and places that encourage us to get outside and play? Jennifer Kent is a senior research fellow at the University of Sydney's school of architecture, design and planning and Robyn Monro Miller AM is chief executive of Play Australia.Infertility is a taboo topic at the best of times, and when it comes to male infertility, the stigma can have big consequences for starting a family. New guidelines have just been implemented to inform and shape the care heterosexual couples going through infertility will receive. But will they reduce the stigma for blokes seeking help for infertility? Father-of-two Jason Wylie shares his story of infertility and Associate Professor Darren Katz, urologist and male fertility specialist, discusses the new guidelines.New research found one in seven adult Australians could imagine falling in love with an AI chatbot. It comes as the world's most popular AI chatbot, ChatGPT, prepares to roll out a new version that includes erotic conversations and the ability to "act like a friend." So is this innovation? Can a bot help alleviate loneliness? Or are there too many risks when you replace human connection with AI? Social media content creator Mia Anastasia says she treats ChatGPT as a friend. Professor Jeannie Paterson is Co-director of the Centre for AI and Digital Ethics, University of Melbourne and Scott Watters is CEO and Founder of the youth mental health service LifeChanger.

Many people have mixed feelings about their smartphone. It's a convenience that is hard to put down. But it can make it challenging to be fully present with the people you're with. One coastal town south of Sydney has seen a grassroots movement to keep kids and adults off their devices. Instead, they're running phone-free events with board games, art, and even knitting! So, how do you find balance between your online and offline world? Jane Bourne is the founder of Kiama Unplugged and Australia Unplugged and Jocelyn Brewer is a Psychologist and founder of Digital Nutrition.Will coins and cash soon be just for collecting? The federal government has released draft legislation requiring supermarkets and service stations to accept cash for at least another three years. But there are plenty of exemptions. Jason Bryce is the spokesperson for Cash Welcome and Nicole Pederson-McKinnon is a financial literacy expert.Whether you've been pregnant or not, you're probably familiar with the term "morning sickness." But have you heard of Hyperemesis gravidarum? It's an illness that can have dire consequences for mums-to-be, so why don't we take it more seriously? Nicoles Rowles is a Brisbane mum who had Hyperemesis gravidarum and Caitlin Kay-Smith is the Founder of Hyperemesis Australia a charity supporting women with the condition.

Teachers and schools are constantly trying to figure out the best way to handle challenging behaviour. One of the go-to tools? Suspension. One in five students in NSW has been suspended from school... and new research shows that being excluded not only affects academic performance ... but mental wellbeing as well. So when is suspension the right option? Mark Johnson is Youth Programs Coordinator for south west Sydney YMCA, Angela Falkenberg is the President of the Australian Primary Principals Association, and Professor Kristin Laurens is Program Co-Leader of the Health and Wellbeing Program at Queensland University of Technology's School of Psychology & Counselling.The ABC has launched a new interactive tool that brings together thousands of years of oral histories that have been passed down for generations. The Deep Time website tells the ancient story of our continent and its people... and explores Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture over 65,000 years. The site covers everything from how people migrated across the land, how they survived an ice age.. and how they lived alongside megafauna. Solua Middleton is co-executive producer of Deep Time and Dr Noel Nannup contributed to the project.Have you heard about the tiny bakery in Sydney that's supposedly selling cinnamon scrolls that are to die for? Every weekend, the lure of baked good from Sundays Bondi draws a line of people that stretches down the road. Are the cinnamon scrolls worth a one-hour wait? Who knows! Does the act of queuing for hours to buy something increase the thrill when you finally get it? Or are expectations sky-high and destined to result in disappointment? Dr Paul Harrison is a senior lecturer in marketing at Deakin Business School.

According to a new study, our overall mental functioning is at its highest between 55 and 60. Good news if the number of candles on your birthday cake is getting harder to count. You're about to hear from the man behind this research to unpack what this means... and from a specialist in older people's health on how to make the most of this peak. Gilles Gignac, from the School of Psychological Science at the University of Western Australia, unpacks what the research means for everyone. Dr. Stephanie Ward is a geriatrician and voices the ABC TV series Old People's Home for 4 Year Olds.COVID completely changed the way many of us saw a doctor. Gone are the days of sitting in the GP's waiting room, flicking through old magazines as you waited to be seen. Telehealth is a great convenience for many of us, and especially if you're living in a rural community with less access to healthcare. But, does telehealth come at a cost? What are the benefits, and the risks, when we go online for our healthcare? Justin Untersteiner is the CEO of the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency and Dr Centaine Snoswell is a health economist at the University of Queensland.If you thought once the kids hit adulthood, then the family trip was done, you'd be wrong. Research shows multigenerational holidays and large group family trips are a popular trend. According to the Family Travel Association - over 50% of parents say they're planning to travel with both their children and kids' grandparents. And a new trend study by an international hotel chain... found that skip-generation travel is also popular.... That's when a grandparent and grandchild book a trip together... and leave the parents at home! Dianne Bortoletto is a freelance travel writer and Jackie O'Connor is co-founder and co-host of The Modern Grandparenting Podcast.

What does "relationship maintenance" look like for you and your partner? Do you consider a relationship to be a living thing that requires care? Or have you got more of a "she'll be right" mentality? Psychotherapist Marryam Chehelnabi is the therapist on SBS's Couples Therapy Australia.And in Ask Aunty, what should you do if your group chat mates have been laughing about you behind your digital back? After the initial horror -- would you call it out? Today's aunties are James Findlay, ABC broadcaster and journalist, and comedian Annie Louey.