Life Matters - Separate stories podcast

We all have that person in our lives who's told the same story a thousand times. But these stories matter, often more than we realise – they can help situate us in our own history and tell us something about who we are. And they are so easy to take for granted until it's too late to capture them.So how do we benefit from sharing stories and reminiscing about the past? And what's the best way to record these personal histories for the next generation? 

If your kids asked you what metadata is, or how an algorithm works, or why they still have to write an essay even thought ChatGPT can do it for them, do you have a good answer?There's a new book that aims to give teenagers the tools they need to understand and demystify the internet, and it's answering plenty of questions for adults along the way. 

If you've spent any time on social media, you've likely come across footage of violence and crisis.With so much trauma at our fingertips, the question isn't just what we're seeing, but how we respond.Should we bear witness to human suffering through our screens? What compels us to watch and share these videos, and does doing so help anyone beyond ourselves?

When you speak to an AI assistant, what voice talks back?Whether it's Siri, Alexa or Google assistant, so many of the default voices are passive, polite and female. But does that really matter? Do we treat a voice differently if it sounds male or female? And what does it say about us if we bark commands or get frustrated at an AI assistant?

We've just come through another week of record-breaking heat in the south-east, and it's exposing a hard truth: a lot of our homes simply aren't designed for the climate we live in.But this isn't just about being uncomfortable, extreme heat is Australia's leading cause of weather-related illness and death. So how can we design our homes so that they're a sanctuary once more, instead of an oven?

What pushes someone to climb the outside of a skyscraper with no ropes, no safety net, and nothing between them and the ground? Or to strap themselves into a 35-tonne rocket headed for the moon?The 2026 Australian of the Year, Katherine Bennell-Pegg set her sights on the skies from the age of five, and did everything it took to pursue a childhood dream. So what does it take to become an astronaut? And what compels someone to push beyond the limits, chase new frontiers and boldly go where we've never gone before? 

Conversations about masculinity are often heavy. We know how the rise of harmful content online amplifies violent misogyny, and how stereotypes contribute to heightened risk of isolation, loneliness and suicide among young men.But it can sometimes feel like the message boys hear is not just that there is a problem, but that they are the problem.So a group of educators and researchers have come together to talk about the idea of re-imagining boyhood — taking it back to basics to figure out how we can better prepare the next generation.

If you think of an aged care home, you're probably picturing silver hair and wise old faces – not teenagers.But one aged care home on the New South Wales central coast is bucking the trend, with a number of fresh high school graduates on their staff.For an industry that's struggled to find workers, they say this untapped workforce is not only helping fill roles but also bringing some youthful energy to the home.So could a younger workforce help staff our aged care homes?

A private college in Queensland has issued a list of banned hairstyles to its students ahead of the new school year, begging the age-old question: where does a uniform end and the student's self-expression begin?One researcher who's combed through the data from 50 Queensland schools explains how policies around hair reinforce power dynamics, gender stereotypes and cultural norms.

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.So at a time when so many Australians are struggling to find four walls to call home, what can design teach us about building homes and communities that truly meet people's needs?