The Yarn

Melbourne’s status as Australia's live music capital is under threat. Since the start of the pandemic, one third of small and mid-sized venues nation-wide have closed their doors for good.  

This week we’re bringing you stories about how performers along the number 19 tramline are getting by. 

It's the third episode of Tram Tales. Our new series about Melburnians who live, work, and travel along the number 19 route — the city’s central artery.

Featuring stories by ara Highett, Ying Wan and, Chanchan Wu. 

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Ask a group of teenagers about their dream jobs and you’ll likely hear a familiar list: doctor, lawyer, architect, psychologist... 

According to an OECD survey, these are some of the most desired jobs among students worldwide. 

But what about all the jobs they don’t even know exist?  

This week, we’re bringing you stories from off the beaten career path. Stories about people along the number 19 tramline finding fulfilment in unconventional workplaces, from cemeteries to adult stores.   

It's the second episode of Tram Tales. Our new series about Melburnians who live, work, and travel along the number 19 route — the city’s central artery. 

Featuring stories by Sam Irvine, Longfei Zhou, Ellen Cutler, and Fanting Ming. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The number 19 tramline is Melbourne’s backbone, taking passengers all the way from Coburg north to Flinders Street Station. Our new series, Tram Tales, shares the stories and struggles of people who, live, work, and travel along this central artery.  

For our first episode, we're focusing on an issue that’s top of mind for most Australians — the cost-of-living crisis. 

Energy, housing, and food costs have skyrocketed, the price of bread is up 24% since 2021, and many are barely getting by. A recent New York Times article even said happy-go-lucky Australia is feeling neither happy nor lucky.  

So we’re investigating how people along route 19 are coping.

Featuring reporting by James Worsfold, Yibo Meng, Yingyu Liu, and Elliot Rodriguez. 

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In the days of hunter-gatherers, social exclusion meant certain death. Humans have evolved with a primal need for belonging — and we still suppress our differences so we can fit in. But what happens when we buck this trend?  

This week, we’re bringing you stories about embracing our differences.  

It’s the sixth episode of Not Natural, a series about the tension between the natural and the artificial. These stories were produced for the Science Galley’s new exhibition — Not Natural. It’s open now and includes a listening station where you can hear work from our students.

Featuring stories by Amelia Davies, Adeline Johnston, Eleanor Dean, and Alexander McGuire.  

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According to an old urban myth, a frog suddenly dropped in boiling water will instantly leap out to safety. But if the water is tepid and gradually heated, the oblivious frog will slowly boil to death. This process is a metaphor for human psychology — especially when it comes to ecological decline.  

Over time, gradual changes can make unprecedented catastrophes feel normal. 

This week, we’re bringing you stories about revolutionary attempts to reverse these abnormalities — from resurrecting extinct species to unlearning the colonial mindset.  

It’s the fifth episode of Not Natural, a series about the tension between the natural and the artificial. These stories were produced for the Science Galley’s new exhibition — Not Natural. It’s open now and includes a listening station where you can hear work from our students.   

Featuring stories by Fergus Sinnot, James Italia-Prasad, Liliana Jaques, and Zuva Goverwa. 

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Every day, our brains take cognitive shortcuts. 

Our limited time and attention make it easy to fall back on familiar biases. 

Among the most deeply ingrained is the assumption that “natural” always means “healthier”. 

This week, we’re interrogating this idea with stories about “natural” and synthetic remedies.  

It’s the fourth episode of Not Natural, a series about the tension between the natural and the artificial. These stories were produced for the Science Gallery’s new exhibition — Not Natural. It’s open now and includes a listening station where you can hear work from our students.  

Featuring stories by Harriet Thorpe, Ruby Clayton Dowling, Holly Larkspur and Meagan Hansen.

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In the throes of addiction, people can enter a time warp. The clock seemingly stops when cravings are met and dopamine floods the brain. 

But I’m not talking about drugs. I’m talking about social media.   

Heavy users can squander hours per day on TikTok binges. And the App’s developers see this as a feature, not a flaw.   

This week, we’re bringing you stories about how social media is rewiring our brains and reshaping real life.   

It’s the third episode of Not Natural, a series about our ability to control nature. These stories were produced for the Science Galley’s new exhibition — Not Natural. It’s open now and includes a listening station where you can hear work from our students.  

Featuring stories by Alexandra Harrop, Stephanie Monaco, Mia Spiteri, and Ella Power-Bridger. 

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Social media feeds can make Botox and fillers seem as commonplace as getting a haircut. On TikTok alone, the plastic surgery hashtag has 22 billion views.  

Is this newfound acceptance democratising beauty, or making beauty obligatory? And who gets to decide what counts as beautiful? 

This week, we’re binging you stories about our increasingly narrow beauty standards.  

It’s the second episode of Not Natural, a series about our ability to control nature. These stories were produced for the Science Galley’s new exhibition — Not Natural. It’s open now and includes a listening station where you can hear work from our students.    

Featuring stories by Jessica Cheong, Zserhyn Jose, Kel Thai, and Sabine Lynch.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s this phrase God Mode that was born out of the gaming world. It refers to a notorious cheat code in the 1993 shooter game, Doom. Once activated, a player becomes invincible and vanquishes opponents with ease. 

Nowadays, God mode is a slang term for achieving superhuman feats in real life, and in our era of artificial intelligence and cybernetic implants, it’s becoming more and more pertinent. 

This week, we’re bringing you stories that delve into this issue – asking whether AI should continue an artist’s legacy after death and how medical breakthroughs and cloning can improve nature.  

It’s the first episode of Not Natural, a series about the friction between what we consider natural and artificial. 

These stories were made for the Science Gallery which has just opened its new exhibition — Not Natural. Go and see it now to explore de-extinction, see live jellyfish, and duck from a machete-wielding houseplant.

Featuring stories by Annie Siriphattrasophon, Kaspar Vissar, Jemma Mitchell, and Ainsley Paton.

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Since July, the cost of living crisis has gotten a whole lot worse for international students. Thanks to the reinstatement of pre-pandemic work restrictions, their maximum working hours have been limited to 24 hours per week. Experts call it a return to "normal", but those facing financial peril say otherwise. 

This week, Wuxi Fan talks to three students whose lives have been turned upside down by this U-turn. 

Credits:

Series Producer: Yuxuan Liu 
Senior Producer: Songyu Wu, Xuyang Liu
Host: Cissy
Sound Design: Elliot Rodriguez
Design and Social Media: Ruofeng Ning & Wen Yang
Executive Producer: Sami Shah

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