Life Matters - Full program podcast

If your kids asked you what metadata is, or how an algorithm works, or why they still have to write an essay even though ChatGPT can do it for them, would you have a good answer? Dr Niraj Lal is the author of a new book that aims to give teenagers the tools they need to understand and demystify the internet. 
We all have that one family member who's told the same story a thousand times. But these stories matter — they help situate you in your own history and tell you something about who you are. Lorin Clarke shares her experience in documenting the stories of her late father and beloved satirist John Clarke, while Professor Kasia Bail explains all the benefits of reminiscing about the past. 
Should we bear witness to human suffering through our screens? What compels us to watch and share videos depicting violence and crisis — and does doing so help anyone beyond ourselves? Associate Professor in Philosophy Patrick Stokes unpacks the ethical dilemma of doomscrolling.

When she was five, Katherine Bennell-Pegg looked up at the stars and never looked back. While most childhood dreams drift back to Earth, hers didn't. The 2026 Australian of the Year reflects on the determination it takes to become an astronaut, and what compels someone to push beyond the limits and boldly go where we've never gone before.
After another week of record-breaking heat, it's pretty clear a lot of our homes simply aren't designed for the climate we live in. So how can we design our homes so that they're a sanctuary once more, instead of an oven?
Do we treat female voices differently to male voices? New research suggests when it comes to AI assistants, there's a clear divide. So what does that say about us, and does it really matter?

Conversations about masculinity are often heavy. It can sometimes feel like the message boys hear is not just that there is a problem, but that they are the problem. Professor James Smith, researcher Ged Moriarty and advocate Luke Bateman discuss how we might re-imagine the concept of boyhood.
The aged care industry is struggling to find workers, but one facility on the NSW central coast is tapping fresh high school graduates to bring a youthful energy to the home. So could a younger workforce change the game?
A Queensland high school banning the mullet and other "unacceptable" hairstyles has reignited debate over the right to self-expression. Researcher Kayla Mildren unpacks whether a rat's tail really creates a ratbag, or if rules like these are about something bigger.

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.
Once the holidays are over and life settles back into routine, issues you've been avoiding can have a way of resurfacing – especially in relationships. Clinical psychologist Elisabeth Shaw and psychotherapist Dr Zoë Krupka unpack why January is a peak month for separations, and how to decide when a rough patch is worth working through and when it's time to part ways.

There's a viral nostalgia trend at the moment with millions of people posting photos of themselves from a decade ago. 
So, what is it about today that's making us yearn for the past? And how much does it serve us to kick off 2026 with our heads in 2016? 
Psychologist Dr Carly Johnco and behavioural neuroscientist Dr Jee Hyun Kim on how to look back whilst also looking ahead.
And, on Ask Aunty, columnist Kerri Sackville and broadcaster Paul Culliver weigh in on the politics of volunteering at your kid's canteen.