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The phrase "ditch the witch" has reappeared in Australian politics recently to attack and criticise female politicians — always associated with images of broomsticks and pointy hats. But why do we picture witches that way, and why are they associated with evil? The answer lies in a 15th century book. Malleus Maleficarum (The Hammer of Witches) was a manual for how to hunt, torture and execute women accused of witchcraft, and was the catalyst for witch trials that killed thousands of women across Europe.  The University of Melbourne's Archives and Special Collections has recently acquired a rare copy. So what can the world's most infamous witch-hunting handbook tell us about the spread of misinformation and dangerous ideas today?

Life can change pretty fast. For James O'Brien, what started as a dream beach holiday ended up with him losing a leg.  There are over 160,000 amputees living in Australia and each one has their own story of loss and having to rebuild their life. In a new podcast called The Limb Shift, James shares his experience with other amputees, exploring stories of resilience and renewal.

For many Australians with a mortgage, kids and rising living costs, earning a six-figure salary is no longer the guarantee of comfort it once seemed to be. Results from the latest HILDA data shows the income Australians say they need to feel satisfied is climbing higher and higher. So is this just a case of lifestyle creep, or a genuine struggle to pay the bills even with a decent pay packet?

Sex positivity has never been more talked about, but that doesn't mean the bedroom has caught up.  And the stresses of everyday life can make a big impact, from resentment over the mental load to the daily grind of parenting.  So what happens to a relationship when sexual satisfaction is lopsided?

This week, the Aunties share their advice with a listener who reconnected with an old flame at their high school reunion.  But how can they tell whether it was just a nostalgic fling, or if there really is something more waiting to be discovered?

From today, children in most parts of Australia with mild to moderate autism and developmental delays will begin transitioning away from the NDIS and to a new state-run program called Thriving Kids. It's a process that is expected to take 18 months, but not a lot is known about how Thriving Kids will work, and not every state is on board. What does this mean for the families impacted, and what needs to happen from Thriving Kids to succeed?

Ageing tends to get a bad rap in a society that prizes youth. In a world obsessed with looks-maxxing, biohacking and optimising, many of us are actively trying to escape it. But growing old is a privilege, so perhaps it deserves more celebration. It brings wisdom, experience and neuroscience suggests some of our cognitive functions and emotional stability can increase over the years too. So it's time to focus on the benefits of getting older.

Australian consumers are living in a surcharge-free world with businesses now banned from charging for card payments. It sounds like a small win for households, but businesses will likely need to find a way to cover the cost. Could a surcharge ban lead to higher prices? Or could businesses start offering discounts to those paying with cash?

If you're feeling the burn right now, you are not alone. An estimated 82 per cent of workers are at risk of burnout, and the end of the year can be a risky period. Burnout is a deep-seated physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion brought on by long-term workplace stress.  It's a phenomenon that's been around long before it had a name, but are we any better at dealing with it now?

Almost 170 years ago, the Australian game of football was born. But it would take more than a century before anyone dared to suggest that women could play professionally on a national stage, and another decade before that dream became a reality. The AFLW is now marking its 11th season in 10 years, which feels like an apt moment to reflect. So what kind of grit does it take to force change in a system that's historically been uninterested in making room for you? And once you get there, what comes next?

Yesterday the RBA raised interest rates to the highest point in 15 years. In a time where people are already doing their best to save, these pressures seem to be compounding on people. So if you are struggling, what are the practical things you can do for your mental health and best financial outlook?

The transition from adolescence to adulthood can be brutal.  One day, your friends are just there, your routines are familiar and you know where you fit. Then suddenly, you leave school and everything changes.  This phase of life has always been hard, but something has changed. Recent research shows rates of social isolation have nearly doubled over the past two decades, with younger generations experiencing some of the biggest increases in loneliness. They're more digitally connected than any generation before them and yet many are persistently lonely. So how did we get here?

It was only a few years ago that piracy was one of the main concerns for the media industry.  But since the rise of streaming platforms, rates of piracy have dropped. No longer resorting to illegal downloads, Australians are now paying an average of $42 a month on streaming services. So how did the industry manage to convince people that paying for a service was better than getting the same content for free?

More and more GPs are embracing the use of AI during patient consults. They use AI scribes to record, transcribe, and summarise everything we say. But in the wake of a rogue AI agent hacking into a Medicare website, public trust in AI has been shaken. So what happens to the data AI scribes collect, and can they be trusted with our most personal information?

Tutors are often the people who step up when your kids are struggling in their education. But AI is shaking up the industry, with two tutoring companies recently announcing they have been forced to close.  One of the owners said while AI might not offer a higher quality tutor, it is hard to beat on value for money.  So what does the future of tutoring look like, and can an AI really replace a human in this space?