Life Matters - Separate stories podcast

The 1847 novel Wuthering Heights has inspired dozens of screen adaptations, the latest of which is out now.And if it feels like no one can agree on whether this latest version starring Aussie actors Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi is the best or the worst ever, there are complicating factors at play.Because whether it's Wuthering Heights, or Little Women, Frankenstein, we love to argue over authenticity and the limits of creative licence.Why do we get caught up when characters from a book jump off the page and onto the screen?

Research shows our average focus time on one task has dropped from about 2.5 minutes in the early 2000s to around 40 seconds today. So what would happen if you took away all the distractions? No screens. No notifications. No artificial light. No outside world.Scientist Kiana Aran reflects on spending five days in a cave-like sensory deprivation chamber, hooked up to sensors to measure what total isolation does to the body and mind.

With model kits for mindfulness and adult colouring books flying off the shelves, it seems the COVID-era craving for quiet, comforting hobbies has returned.But there are also serious benefits to investing our efforts into more intense hobbies.Sociologists say "serious" leisure activities — those requiring an investment of time, effort and in some cases, costuming —  can foster connection and community that goes much deeper than a casual hobby.So what does this tell us about the purpose and power of playful pursuits? Should we get serious about our leisure time?

Down down, prices are down … but are they?Coles has appeared in federal court this week, accused by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) of misleading shoppers with fake discounts — a claim Coles has denied. Woolworths will soon face similar legal action.With trust in Australia's supermarket giants once again under the microscope, how easy is it to shop elsewhere?

In most busy public places, CCTV cameras are so common that you're almost certain to spot one, even if you hardly notice them anymore.But would you feel differently if those cameras weren't just passively capturing footage, but were actively scanning and identifying you?Bunnings has won a legal battle to use AI facial recognition in its stores to combat retail crime and reduce staff abuse, overturning a 2024 ruling that found it breached privacy laws by scanning customers' faces without their proper consent.So is facial recognition simply the price we pay for greater safety or convenience? Or should we be taking a harder look at the risks this kind of surveillance poses?

Food ministers from across Australia and New Zealand have green-lit the process to make the health stars you see in the supermarket mandatory for all food products. So far the system has been voluntary, with only 39 per cent of Australian products opting to display their rating. It's a step in the right direction, but what else do we need to do to create a healthy environment for everyone? 

Ben Crowe is one of the most in-demand professional mentors and leadership coaches in the world, and after years working with elite athletes from Ash Barty and Andre Agassi to Steph Gilmore and Daniel Ricciardo, he's distilled his wisdom into a book.Where the Light Gets In gives you the nine perspective shifts that have helped his clients achieve incredible success.So what can we learn from sporting legends that could actually help us in our everyday lives?

If you've made it through your summer reading list already, you might be looking for some inspiration on what to pick up next. This week, #BookTok creator Luke Bateman opens up about the first book in a 30-plus-volume fantasy series that helped him rebuild his life after a stint in rehabilitation.

You're sitting at the kitchen table, heart racing. You've replayed this moment 100 times in your head: what to say, how to say it, how they might react. For many queer Australians, that conversation — the one where you come out to the people you love — is filled with anxiety, uncertainty, and hope all at once.Nearly 50 years after the first Mardi Gras march lit up the streets of Sydney, demanding an end to discrimination, so much has changed. LGBTQIA+ people today can be more visible than ever before.But visibility doesn't equate to safety, acceptance and ease.So what does it actually mean to come out in 2026? Is it easier? Is it safer? Or does that kitchen table conversation still carry the same weight it always has?

When one of your kids gets divorced, it may seem obvious whose side you should take. But how do you navigate the family dynamics when talking with your grandkids? Is it possible to remain "neutral" around little ears?