Life Matters - Full program podcast

Men’s affection for each other has traditionally come wrapped in nods, handshakes and ribbing rather than words, but Movember wants to change that this month. The organisation's global director of research Zac Seidler joins author Zachary Perez to explore what the culture of emotional reserve has cost men's health, and whether a hug could help. 
Once seen as a fringe pursuit, prepping for worst-case scenarios is going mainstream. But increasingly, the scenarios we're preparing for are a little less foreseeable — huge spikes in petrol prices due to war, or an AI-induced doomsday. So given the state of the world should we all be doomsday preppers? 
What do you say when you answer the phone? The humble "hello" may be on its way out, with younger generations ditching the standard greeting. Linguist Daniel Midgley explores the history of hello and why language evolves over time.

Anger can be a powerful emotion that drives us towards change, but it’s also the emotion we're most afraid of. It can tear us down as fast as it moves us to action. Men's behaviour change program founder David Nugent and psychology lecturer Liz Summerell explore what you can do when anger takes hold.
Aunties James Colley and Urvi Majumdar share their advice for listener Laila, who loves looking after her grandkids but is navigating some tension in the kitchen.

The number of deaths on Australian roads has risen by 21.6 per cent since the national road safety strategy was introduced a few years ago. So if rules of the road have largely stayed the same, and the cars are smarter than ever, why aren't the numbers getting better? Researcher Teresa Senserrick and former driving school owner Ben Ward explain what's going on. 
Despite spending most of our time indoors, Australia has no national standard for indoor air quality. With experts calling for a national healthy air strategy, Air Club co-founder Bronwyn King and Burnet Institute's chief health officer Suman Majumdar explore why this invisible public health issue has been left unregulated for so long.
Recent data from the US suggests the casual drop-in is dying out. It revealed a huge decline in the number of people regularly hosting friends and family at home. So what's driving the decline, and what do we lose if spontaneous hospitality disappears for good?

Recent research from KPMG found the Australian economy could be boosted by $29 billion if businesses made it easier for older workers to stay in the workforce or come out of retirement. So if we're serious about harnessing the untapped potential of mature workers, what would it take? National Seniors CEO Chris Grice joins Carol Kulik from the Centre for Workplace Excellence and Kerry Forrest, who's still working well into her 60s, to investigate how we could better support older workers to stay.
In October alone, three new giant sculptures from Mildura to Windorah have been added to the map of Australia's big things. These oversized landmarks have become part of our cultural identity — a must-see stop on a road trip and an iconic emblem of regional country towns. Researcher Amy Clarke and artist Jobella Bennett explore why Australia is so big on big things. 
From time sheets to swipe cards, bosses have always found ways to keep tabs on staff. But these days it's AI counting your keystrokes. Legal experts are warning that AI-powered surveillance is outpacing the law, and calling for changes to the Fair Work Act. Lisa Leong weighs in on what this means for the workforce, and whether we should have more say on our own metrics.

Recent research from Monash University found up to one in five new paramedics are at high risk of shift work disorder, a mix of insomnia and daytime sleepiness linked to on-the-job errors. Researcher Laura Hirello and sleep psychologist Sara Winter explore what it would take to make shift work safer for both health care workers and the patients they care for.
Californian start-up Reflect Orbital wants to launch giant orbital mirrors that beam sunlight back to Earth on demand, powering solar farms after dark or lighting up search-and-rescue missions. Space archaeologist Alice Gorman explains what manufactured sunlight could do to people, wildlife, and space itself.
Real estate agents have always found creative ways to gloss over the unappealing features of a property, but AI has taken things to a new level. NSW has introduced laws forcing agents to disclose when images have been digitally altered, but does a disclaimer make it any easier for prospective clients to see what they're actually getting?