When the bread baking craze took off during the pandemic, many of us encountered sourdough starter for the first time: a concoction of flour and water playing host to a colony of micro-organisms — most importantly: yeast. Without this single-celled fungus, we would have no leavened bread, no wine, no beer and no spirits. So, what role does it play? And how long have humans partnered with this miraculous organism?

Doctors and scientists around the world are increasingly alarmed by the impact that industrial processing is having on the food we eat and by what that food does to our bodies. Ultra-processed foods may last longer and taste good, but our guests explain, they are designed for overindulgence, and they are linked to health problems like obesity and an increased risk of some cancers.

If you took the sodium chloride out of human history, you would have a very different and strangely flavourless tale to tell. Salt has historically been one of the world's most valuable commodities. Its discovery, extraction and commodification has shaped the story of humanity. So, let's take a trip from the test tube to the kitchen, to salt tolerant plants that could revolutionise agriculture.This is an episode of Blueprint for Living, originally broadcast on March 24, 2018.

The food we eat at school matters. Some Australian children get too much of the wrong thing, while others get not much of anything at all. In these early years, the food habits of a lifetime are being set, and study after study shows the link between nutrition, attention and learning. If almost every other high-income country in the world is providing free or subsidised lunches for school-aged children, why is Australia an outlier?

Where did the word 'curry' come from? Was the word used in the pre-colonial era? Spoiler: It wasn't. So, if curry is an impostor, overshadowing India's rich culinary history and its diverse range of regional expressions, how did so much of the world come to understand Indian food in such simple terms?

Whether it is Nigella, Stephanie or Yotam on your shelf, there's a good chance that you and I are cooking from the same book. The two best-selling books in Australia in 2024 were both cookbooks — and they were both written by Nagi Maehashi, the founder of the website RecipeTin Eats. Her two books — Dinner and Tonight — have together sold one million copies worldwide. So, what is it about the floury, greasy pages of a cookbook that unite us and shape our conceptions of food?

The cost of living crisis is having a significant impact on the way we eat. Restaurants are struggling, and diners are changing their habits — skipping dessert or opting for water over wine. But it doesn't end there: for many Australians, affording a healthy home-cooked meal is a challenge. Yet, some fine dining restaurants are thriving — so, what's going on?

Onions and their flavourful relatives feature prominently in cuisines across the globe, with a history of cultivation that goes back thousands of years. Onion recipes have even been found on the cuneiform tablets of Ancient Babylonia. So, what is happening under the skin of this many-layered bulb to make it such a versatile and essential ingredient?

You say tomato, I say… bleurgh. How is it that we can have such different experiences of the same foods? Taste and flavour: What are they and how do they work? We meet some of the top flavour scientists working today, including the researcher who discovered that there are 'supertasters' among us.

Is there anything you take more for granted in your kitchen than the cutlery drawer? We hardly give a second thought to the humble tools that carry food from plate to mouth. But maybe we should. There's history here, and stories of changing preferences and assumptions within cultures. Fork or fingers? Cut or tear? They say you are what you eat, but it turns out how you eat matters, too.

We hear about how Paris is transforming itself to tackle climate change, learn about the design history of the bicycle and take a tour for the 21st Century.

Grand tours for the aristocracy in centuries gone by were filled with art and architecture to fulfil the senses.But what would such a tour look like today if only places created in the 20th and 21st centuries  were on the itinerary?Richard Weller is a landscape architect who has pondered this question in his latest book, To the ends of the earth- a grand tour for the 21st Century. This interview first aired in July 2024.

From the velocipede in the early 1800s to its more modern incarnation, featuring tubular metal frames, wire-spoked wheels, pneumatic tyres, and gears, design writer and critic Colin Bisset gives us a potted history of the development of the bicycle.This interview first aired in March 2024.

The city of Paris is about to enact an ambitious new climate Plan and at its heart is a commitment to building a cyclist friendly urban centre.This interview first aired in March 2024.

Exploring culture through food. Each week Jonathan Green serves up a new dish or ingredient, uncovering the rich layer of stories, traditions, and innovations behind it. From the origins and cultural significance to the science and economics of food, we explore how what we eat shapes and is shaped by our world. From humble street food to gourmet delicacies, discover the fascinating narratives that make every bite a story worth telling.Broadcast on ABC Radio National on Saturday at 11 am, repeated Friday at 8:30 pm and Sunday at 4:30 am.

We explore the cultural meaning of black, celebrate cemeteries as public open space, take a world tour of monuments, and hear about Jamie Oliver's Last Supper.

Colin Bisset takes us on a tour of the some of the world's greatest commemorative monuments.From London's Albert Memorial to Berlin's November Revolution Monument, they speak of a desire to immortalise and elevate a particular viewpoint of history.This interview first aired in June 2024.

Chef Jamie Oliver selects the last meal he would have on this earth- his mum's roast dinner.Surrounded by friends and family, he believes a Sunday roast would be the best final meal, with all the trimmings.This interview first aired in June 2024.

What role has the colour black played in mourning fashions since the time of Queen Victoria?Dr Lorinda Cramer is a fashion historian at Deakin University. She charts the changing cultural meanings associated with this darkest of hues.This interview first aired in June 2024.

Can cemeteries be a boon for the living as well as a place for the dearly departed?Tania Davidge, Executive Director of Open House Melbourne, believes so. She argues that cemeteries can provide much needed open space in our crowded cities to be enjoyed across the generations.This interview first aired in June 2024.

Colin Bisset turns his attention to that iconic fashion item, the T-shirt.This segment first aired in May 2019.

We ask have algorithms flattened culture, look at neutraface as a gentrification font, explore our obsession with home renovation, and hear about the iconic history of the T-shirt.

Angela Riechers, author of 'The elements of visual grammar: A designer's guide for writers, scholars and professionals', discusses the history of Neutraface and explains how and why this typeface became so ubiquitous.This interview first aired in May 2024.

Exposed brick, smashed avocado, hanging edison bulbs, the patina of industry and reclaimed wood furniture – this is what writer and critic, Kyle Chayka rails against in his book 'Filterworld: How Algorithms Flattened Culture'.This interview first aired in May 2024.

Professor of architecture and host of Grand Designs Australia and Grand Designs Transformations Anthony Burke discusses our obsessions with home renovations and what it reveals about us.This interview first aired in May 2024.

We put some heat in the kitchen with Niklas Ekstedt, Shalamar Lane and Lennox Hastie and hear about the iconic design history of the stove.

Shalamar Lane is a Los Angeles-based pitmaster renowned for her innovative approach to American barbecue.She comes from a long line of pitmasters in Alabama and Texas and is the creative force behind the popular restaurant My Father's Barbecue.This interview first aired in May 2024.

Niklas Ekstedt is a celebrated Swedish chef known for his pioneering approach to cooking over open fire.He gained international acclaim through his Stockholm-based restaurant, Ekstedt, where he showcases his expertise in reviving ancient culinary techniques to create exquisite dishes - all without the use of gas or electricity.This interview first aired in May 2024.

Lennox Hastie, the acclaimed chef celebrated for his mastery of wood-fired cooking, has a distinct preference when it comes to envisioning his last meal on earth.Known for his Sydney restaurant Firedoor, Hastie would choose a perfectly grilled whole fish, complemented with a side of fresh, seasonal vegetables.This interview first aired in May 2024.

Design writer Colin Bisset guides us through the evolution of modern cooking technology, from François de Cuvilliés's 1735 Castrol oven, to the contemporary convenience of the air fryer.This interview first aired in May 2024.

We hear about an art project that is bringing endangered birds to life, learn about how to roast the perfect duck from Annie Smithers, visit Bruce Pascoe and Lyn Harwood on their farm, and explore the design potential of the humble bird bath.

Colin Bisset turns his attention to the mysterious design history of the birth bath.This segment first aired in August 2021.

Annie Smithers takes Jonathan through jointing and roasting a duck and the culinary art of duck stock, duck sausage, and the prized duck fat.This interview first aired in June 2024.

Bruce Pascoe and Lyn Harwood discuss traditional agriculture, observing the seasons, and how they find strength in Country at their farm 'Yumburra'. This interview first aired in June 2024.

Mary-Jane Walker is an evolutionary scientist and artist based in Geelong, Victoria.She is working in 'paper taxidermy' to create more than 80 birds which are under threat in her Now You See Us art project.This interview first aired in July 2024.

We hear about the history of wine imperialism, learn about the design secrets of 'Only Murders in the Building', and visit Annie Smithers to hear about how she would like to mark her Last Supper..

Historian Jennifer Regan-Lefebvre explores the colonial legacy of wine her book, Imperial Wine: How the British Empire Made Wine's New World.This interview first aired in January 2023.

Curt Beech, the Emmy-nominated production designer on the hit show Only Murders in the Building, shares the real history of the Belnord apartment building in Upper West Side Manhattan which the show's fictional Arconia building is inspired by.This interview first aired in August 2022.

We explore our obsessions with Ancient Rome, hear about the healing power of cooking from Bee Wilson, learn about the importance of acoustics in architecture, and take a tour through tower design. 

Dr Daniel Reynolds, senior lecturer in Byzantine history from the University of Birmingham, explores why tourists are so obsessed with Ancient Greece and Rome and what the implications are for other heritage sites.This interview first aired in June 2024.This interview first aired in June 2024.

Colin Bisset explores the design history and architectural power of the tower.

Food writer Bee Wilson reflects on how cooking helped her manage grief, loss and dislocation after her marriage broke down, and what she learned from the experience.This interview first aired in January 2024.

Architect and author Joseph Clarke explores the evolving relationship between architecture and acoustics in his book Echo’s Chambers: Architecture and The Idea of Acoustic Space.This Interview first aired in October 2022.

We hear First Nations reflections on the use of fire and the term 'wilderness', and visit architect Richard Leplastrier at home.

Den Barber is a Wiradjuri man who runs the Indigenous cultural consultancy Yarrabin Cultural Connections and is the founding director of Koori Country Firesticks Aboriginal Corporation. He shares his experiences in fire management from elders past and present and reflects on how this can inform the protection of our towns and cities into the future.This interview first aired in January 2022.

Gamilaraay man and former ABC Top 5 Arts residential scholar Beau de Belle visits the house of his mentor and friend, the revered architect Richard Leplastrier.This interview first aired in May 2021.

For many, the word wilderness conjures up images of pristine, wild landscapes untouched by humans.But increasingly, the term is being recast. Professor Michael-Shawn Fletcher discusses the origins of wilderness and why it needs a rethink.This interview first aired in July 2023.

We explore the wonder that is railway station architecture and hear from two guests who have explored lost recipes from Australia's past and lost gardens around the world.

Ross Dobson is a former recipe tester and food writer who has delved into the archives to uncover some of the forgotten recipes of the past in his book 'The Lost Recipes'.