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From vintage restaurant menus to modern takeout flyers, menus can serve as inspiration for meal planning. This week on On the House: The Household Management Science Insights Podcast, host Marie Stella interviews food history expert Paul Freedman to explore the fascinating world of food documentation.

Specializing in a variety of subjects — from medieval social history to the history of cuisine — Paul Freedman is the director of Undergraduate Studies in History as well as chair of the history department at Yale University. In the field of culinary history, Paul Freedman was the editor behind ‘Food: The History of Taste’, an illustrated collection of essays about food from prehistoric to contemporary times. Impressively, Paul Freedman also penned the seminal and entertaining ‘Ten Restaurants That Changed America’ detailing how the history of America has reflected in its restaurants.

In this episode, Paul Freedman sheds light on how documenting the food we eat can contribute to our household management practices. He addresses that food documentation may be against well-renowned household decluttering practices, but it offers fresh ideas for meal planning and serves as invaluable tokens from the past.

Together, Marie and Paul Freedman canvass a plethora of useful habits to practice when collecting menus and documenting food. So, whether you’re a seasoned chef or busy parent looking for quick meal ideas, tune in to this episode for an enlightening conversation on how menu collecting can spice up your cooking routine!

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In today’s world, there are countless products vying for our attention on supermarket shelves, and it can be very daunting trying to wrap our minds around all the nutritional labels. Many people are trying to make more conscious decisions about what they put in their body, and how their consumption impacts the environment, but are struggling with the fine print. So how can we best navigate this?

On this episode of On the House Podcast, host Marie is joined by Dr. Rebecca Luong, cardio-metabolic dietitian and co-founder of Heartful Flavours. Having worked in various areas of dietetics including clinical dietetics, community health, nutrition research, supermarket nutrition, and academia, Dr. Rebecca Luong has a strong understanding of how the worlds of nutrition and food coalesce, providing practical and personalized nutrition solutions.

Marie and Dr. Rebecca Luong discuss the health star rating criteria used in Australia, and what people should look out for on labels, as well as how to compare two similar products.

Dr. Rebecca Luong shares the importance of low GI options and why these make an important impact on wellbeing, as well as how the order of ingredients in the ingredients list might play a part in one’s decision making.

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Waking up to a home that not only offers convenience, but also helps save the planet, seems to be growing more achievable, with advancements in smart home technology. So, this week on Room by Room: The Home Organization Science Insights Podcast, host Marie Stella consults built environment senior lecturer Dr. Hing-Wah Chau to find out how smart home technologies can help us go green.

With over 10 years of professional architectural experience in Hong Kong, Dr. Hing-Wah Chau currently serves as course chair in architectural design, as well as senior lecturer in built environment at Victoria University. Prior to his role at Victoria University, he spent eight years teaching architectural design at the University of Melbourne, too. His research interests lie in sustainable built environment, green architecture and infrastructure, and more.

In this episode, Dr. Hing-Wah Chau stresses the importance of practicing sustainability in the home, and highlights the key factors homeowners should consider when selecting smart home devices and systems.

Together, Marie and Dr. Hing-Wah Chau canvass some lesser-discussed ethical concerns of using smart home technology, such as the hidden amount of data and energy required to power smart homes. So, tune in to this episode to learn more about the environmental advantages and disadvantages of utilizing smart home technology!

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Many people are now working from home due to the needs of our personal lives, or the needs of our colleagues across the world and the expansion of companies across continents. So, this week on Work in Progress: The Personal Productivity Science Insights Podcast, host Sarah Stancombe consults Steven Puri, the founder and CEO of a focus app for remote work, on what it takes to stay motivated in a remote work environment.

Following a long-standing career in film and television, Steven Puri returned to building tech companies, and founded a highly raved focus app The Sukha Company. With the mission to help millions of people find their focus and achieve a healthier work life, The Sukha Company app is equipped with a range of effective productivity tools, from focus music and distraction blockers, to Pomodoro timers and more.

In this episode, Steven Puri explains the idea of flow state, and how specific music can help us reach it. He further elaborates on the conditions that are prime for achieving the flow state, and shares advice on accomplishing it.

Together, Sarah and Steven Puri explore the idea of simplifying — for instance, you are more likely to have a productive work session with a list of just three things, rather than an overwhelming list of 17. So, whether you’re a seasoned working professional, or just starting to find your place on the market, tune in this week for expert advice on finding focus in remote work settings!

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Everyone experiences being ignored or excluded at some point in their life, and it affects everyone differently. So, this week on Bouncing Back: The Personal Resilience Science Insights Podcast, host Sarah Stancombe consults psychology professor Dr. David Oberleitner for advice on strengthening our responses to social exclusion. Based at the University of Bridgeport, Dr. David Oberleitner is a professor of psychology, as well as the director of the Division of Social and Behavioral Sciences. David’s research interests fall broadly in social psychology, with specific research interests in the social-cognitive processes underlying social exclusion, stigma, and the interplay of social exclusion and social processes regarding health and substance use. In this episode, Dr. David Oberleitner explains how social exclusion is experienced by everyone, in different phases of life, such as being ignored in classes at school, and losing the ability to go out often in old age. Mental and physical health issues can arise from prolonged social exclusion; issues such as decreased cardiovascular health, depressive symptomatology, and changes in perceived self-identity. Together, Sarah and Dr. David Oberleitner discuss how maintaining one’s mental health helps us be more resilient and bounce back from challenges quicker. So, tune in for scientific insights and practical advice for facing social exclusion and developing resilience!

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From the pages of classic literature to the plotlines of modern blockbusters, the concept of revenge has held a longstanding grip on our collective psyche. So, this week on Sero Boost: The Happiness Science Insights Podcast, host Marie Stella interviews psychiatry lecturer James Kimmel, Jr., JD to investigate the neuroscience behind revenge. Based at the Yale School of Medicine, James Kimmel, Jr., JD is not only a lecturer, but also the founder and co-director of the Yale Collaborative for Motive Control Studies. In his work, James Kimmel, Jr., JD largely focuses on neuroscience, psychology, revenge, addiction, forgiveness and violence. Additionally, he is the author behind a new book, ‘The Science of Revenge’, to be released in May 2025. In this episode, James Kimmel, Jr., JD starts out with an enthralling personal anecdote, illustrating how revenge turns into addiction. Furthermore, he goes into detail about the evolutionary origins of revenge. Together, Marie and James Kimmel, Jr., JD discuss how the same interventions used to combat addiction could be applied in a revenge context, and how forgiveness towards oneself and others is a key practice in easing the cravings of revenge. So, whether you’re struggling with vengeful behavior, or simply fascinated by the brain’s mysterious movements, tune in to this episode!

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Navigating through life can be quite challenging, especially if you don't have enough support. But when you have the right tools and knowledge, this can lead you to infinite personal growth. That's the goal of The Self-Improvement Atlas, a podcast that provides insights into Personal Science.