Life Matters

In Australia, men are around three times more likely to die by suicide than women. But the latest statistics show that efforts to reduce those deaths are paying off, with the male suicide rate dropping to its lowest level in a decade. Clinical psychologist Zac Seidler and Lee Whitely from rural mental health organisation RAW explain what it's taken to reach this point, and where to go from here.
Researchers at Adelaide University have been using judo to teach safe falling techniques to seniors and allied health professionals in aged care. The idea is to give people the skills to hit the ground safely, minimise injuries and — hopefully — get back up again. So is judo the answer to staying physical well into your 70s, 80s and beyond?
The Eagle's Nest, a retreat built by the Nazis during World War II and frequented by Adolf Hitler, has been gutted by fire in a suspected arson attack. As the local community assesses the damage, the question of what to do with it has sparked fierce debate. Should we let these historical sites decay? Or is there a value in preserving them as a reminder of the past?

Before smartphones told us exactly where to go, travel meant physical maps, friendly strangers, and the thrill of just hoping for the best. But for all that we've gained in convenience, have we lost some of the magic? Author John Ahern has built a career out of deliberately getting lost. He joins Cat Machaughtan, who co-created a game inspired by unplanned adventures, to share what we can learn from getting truly lost.
Midnight Oil, the Easybeats and Yothu Yindi are among the artists who've just been inducted into the National Songbook. But with local music making up just 8.5 per cent of what we listen to on streaming services, are we doing enough to support Australian artists? Pub Choir founder Astrid Jorgensen and music sociologist Ben Green explore what it would take to celebrate our own sound.
Our finely tuned fight-or-flight responses were once integral to the everyday work of hunting and gathering. But for modern tasks like reading and responding to emails, these deeply embedded survival instincts are less useful. This Working Life host Lisa Leong explains what the modern office has done to the human brain.

Block parties. Street libraries. Kerbside lemonade stands. These are the signs of a neighbourhood that's really alive. But often times, the tangle of red tape required to bring your street to life can get in the way. David Howie, whose decades-long Christmas block party is under threat due to new council rules, joins sociologist Peter Walters to discuss the real price of living in the village. 
Australians have long had a particularly creative penchant for swearing. We seem to take a strange sort of pride in our colourful language — we've even used it in tourism ads and public safety campaigns. Linguistics professor Kate Burridge and author Amanda Laugesen explore what's behind this cultural attachment to swear words.
It's that time of year again — the Black Friday sales are upon us. Last year Australians spent nearly $24 billion in that fortnight alone. But are we really saving anything? Consumer behaviour expert Paul Harrison explains how to tell whether a "sale" really is a bargain, or just clever marketing.

Decades ago, new mums often spent a week or more in hospital after birth, but these days most are home within days or even hours. The data shows there's been a steady decline in the length of postnatal hospital stays. And while that's not necessarily a problem, midwifery professor Hannah Dahlen and Maternity Consumer Network founder Alecia Staines say we need to ensure the care and support at home is up to scratch.You know the feeling — replaying the day’s conversations in the shower, replaying an ill-timed joke, or wishing you'd said more when it counted. Social psychologist Vanessa Bohns has written the book on how to know when to speak up, and when to just let it go.
Most of us have an old box of floppy disks, CDs or hard drives gathering dust somewhere, holding memories we can no longer actually access without significant effort. As the tech to read them becomes obsolete faster than we can keep up, digital media professor Melanie Swalwell explains how can you rescue your digital history before it’s lost for good.

Everyone has secrets — from small omissions to things we’ve never told a soul, carrying them with us can feel heavier than actually sharing them. Michael Slepian, author of The Secret Life of Secrets, explains why secrets gnaw at us even when they’re not technically wrong, and what the research actually says about the risk of revealing them.
When Dad can no longer remember the route home, how do you convince him it's time to hand over the car keys? Aunties Kerri Sackille and Nelly Thomas give listener Ari some advice on supporting ageing parents clinging onto their independence.