Life Matters - Full program podcast

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.

Up to one in five Australians are postponing retirement or re-entering the work force later in life. For many, there's just not enough in the nest egg to retire when and how they'd like. Financial adviser Olivia Maragna and Neysa King, who returned to work in her 70s, unpack some of the reasons behind the trend.
A new study from Harvard University shows that mixing up the types of exercise you do can significantly reduce the risk of early death. Professor Emmanuel Stamatakis breaks down the science and Heather Cooper shares her own training regime for running a half marathon at the age of 81.
Have you tried typing your name into an online search engine? It can be surprising what shows up. Rae Johnston explains how to clean up the digital footprint you leave online.

You've heard the saying "it takes a village". But when so much of our modern lives are geared towards convenience and individualism, where do we find one?  New York-based writer Amanda Litman decided to build her own by inviting friends and strangers to weekly dinners for a whole year. 
Weight loss drugs are here to stay — and changes coming to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme are set to make it easier for more people to access these medications. So how might that change the way we eat together and connect over food? 
And Professor Dan Woodman examines the conundrum of volunteer burnout: while volunteer numbers have been in steady decline, the amount of work we rely on those volunteers to do has stayed roughly the same.

We've all Googled our symptoms, but would you ask AI for medical advice? David Hansen from CSIRO's e-Health Research Centre, Dr Michael Bonning and consumer health expert Elizabeth Deveny weigh up the risks of relying on AI chatbots to navigate your health concerns.
When comedian Craig Quartermaine applied for an arts grant, it was a flat-out no. Comedy wasn't on the list of "accepted" performing arts. So, if the purpose of "art" is to act as a mirror to reflect society, does stand-up deserve a ticket to the show?
The face of multi-level marketing schemes seems to be changing, but the chances of success remain the same. Consumer behaviour expert Paul Harrison examines how MLMs hook us in, and what keeps us coming back for more.