The price of life

What does a human life cost – and is it ethical to price it? Jenny Kleeman asked a hitman, philanthropists and a life insurer to find out.

Waiting for grading

Former year 12 students around the country nervously awaiting their HSC results, but there are some proven coping strategies which can tamp down the anxiety.

Superstition can be super sometimes

Superstitions are by definition irrational in themselves, but they can also increase confidence in achieve a goal, improve our performance in different tasks, and alleviate anxiety by giving us a sense of control.

To live

Japan, like Australia, has an ageing population so what can we learn from the ways that Japanese men and women handle the changes and transitions of later life?

Home, sweet home

New research from America suggests that people are still spending an hour less outside their homes every day compared to before the Covid-19 pandemic.

Reading together

Research suggests that reading groups, in which people from all walks of life meet regularly to read and discuss literature, can provide the kind of meaningful social connections which alleviate loneliness, particularly as we age.

Gambling fast and slow

Just as there is ‘slow’ and ‘fast’ thinking, so there are ‘slow’ and ‘fast’ ways to gamble and, unsurprisingly, it’s the adrenaline hits delivered by poker machines and sports betting which are most likely to lead gamblers into trouble.

Pigface stir-fry and chips

University of Melbourne researchers have released a new cookbook to help demystify native ingredients and empower Australia’s home cooks to grow and incorporate Indigenous food into their everyday meals.

Friends for life

In news that should surprise no-one, scientists have found that peer acceptance in young teenagers, and close friendships in older teenagers, predict low social anxiety and high life satisfaction in young adults.

Help for hoarders

Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) is one of the few effective treatments for a range of mental and emotional health issues, including anxiety and depression, and shows promise for helping hoarders kick their habit and lead more normal lives.

Ancient angst

As we near the end of Year 12 and the HSC, young people all over Australia and wondering what comes next, but rest assured, some of history’s greats went through it too.

Staying resilient in later life

New research published by Chinese and Swedish scientists suggests the ability to cope well with and adapt to life’s challenges in older age is linked to a lower risk of dying.