Uncomfortably Curious

Aidan Mill
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Some conversations make you more certain. These ones don't. Uncomfortably Curious is a long-form conversation podcast hosted by Aidan Mill, exploring psychology, science, health, philosophy, history, and the questions underneath modern life — through conversations with researchers, thinkers, and practitioners who've gone deep on something. The goal isn't easy answers. It's questions worth sitting with.

  1. 1d ago

    Why Modern Dads Feel Unprepared - with Dr Dan Singley

    Becoming a father can bring love, meaning and growth. It can also bring grief for your old life, pressure to provide, changes in your relationship and the unsettling feeling that everyone else knows what they’re doing. Psychologist Dr Dan Singley joins Aidan to explore why modern dads can feel so unprepared. They discuss the “fatherhood generation gap”, the changing expectations placed on men, why some fathers struggle to bond immediately, and how distress can show up through isolation, irritability or withdrawal. Dan also shares practical tools for couples, a clearer way to think about hope, and his simplest advice for fathers who are struggling: don’t become isolated. They discuss: What being a good father means todayWhy men can grieve the life they had before childrenThe five-minute relationship check-inHow fathers can become involved before the baby arrives“Father hunger” and parenting without a useful modelWhether there is really a masculinity crisisWhy men’s distress can be missed - even after they seek helpWhether therapy should work differently for menHow goals, pathways and flexibility can build realistic hopeWhy supporting male victims does not diminish concern for women’s safetyDr Dan Singley is a psychologist and founder of the Center for Men’s Excellence, where his work focuses on men’s mental health, fatherhood and relationships. This conversation discusses depression, suicide, abuse and trauma. If you are in Australia and need immediate support, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or MensLine Australia on 1300 78 99 78. If life is in danger, call 000.

    Why Modern Dads Feel Unprepared - with Dr Dan Singley

  2. Oct 11

    Black Holes, Storytelling and Cosmic Perspective with Dr Tanya Hill

    What does a dragonfly have to do with a black hole? Astronomer and science communicator Dr Tanya Hill explores black holes, the power of analogy, and why science needs creativity as much as it needs facts. Tanya explains why an event horizon is a true point of no return, and how a story about dragonfly nymphs can make that otherwise abstract idea feel real. We also discuss the hidden choices behind astronomical images, whether space goes on forever, why children ask some of the best questions about the universe, and what looking up can do to our sense of perspective. Dr Tanya Hill is Senior Curator of Astronomy at Museums Victoria. Her research background includes supermassive black holes, and she now develops Planetarium shows that bring astronomy to wider audiences. If this conversation leaves you with more questions than answers, it has probably done its job.

    Black Holes, Storytelling and Cosmic Perspective with Dr Tanya Hill

  3. Oct 4

    Why Anxiety Is Like a Smoke Detector — with Randolph Nesse

    What if anxiety is not simply a broken system, but a useful alarm going off at the wrong time? And what if low mood sometimes appears when we keep pursuing something important that is no longer working? Randolph Nesse approaches mental health through evolutionary psychiatry. Rather than asking only what has gone wrong in a person’s brain or psychology, he asks why humans have capacities for anxiety, low mood, guilt and love in the first place and why those systems can become so painful or disabling. We discuss anxiety as an oversensitive smoke detector, the difference between fear and anxiety, what happens when people have too little anxiety, and how to tell a useful warning from a malfunction. Randolph also explores stuck goals, the limits of “never give up”, why people care so much about what others think, and his evolutionary perspectives on love, addiction and eating disorders. Randolph is a psychiatrist whose work applies evolutionary biology to medicine and mental health. This conversation offers a different way to understand difficult feelings: not as proof that someone is defective, but as systems with a history, a function and real limits.

    Why Anxiety Is Like a Smoke Detector — with Randolph Nesse

  4. Sep 27

    Is Forgiveness Always the Right Thing to Do? — with Professor Luke Russell

    Is forgiveness always the right thing to do? Professor Luke Russell thinks the answer is no. In this conversation, we explore why Taylor Swift may be right to be cautious about forgiveness, why resentment is not always simply “poison”, and when refusing to forgive might be the more responsible response. Luke is a Professor of Philosophy at the University of Sydney whose work focuses on ethics, evil and forgiveness. We unpack what forgiveness actually means: whether it is a decision, an emotional change, or something that happens gradually over time. We also discuss the difference between an evil act and an evil person, Hannah Arendt’s idea of the banality of evil, coercion and moral responsibility, and whether ordinary people are capable of terrible wrongdoing. A conversation about resentment, justice, responsibility, and moving on without pretending that what happened was okay.

    Is Forgiveness Always the Right Thing to Do? — with Professor Luke Russell

  5. Sep 20

    When a Head Knock Becomes a Brain Injury — with Dr Rowena Mobbs

    A hard hit in sport is obvious. The more difficult question is what repeated impacts might do when there is no clear concussion, no headache, and no moment that stops the game. Dr Rowena Mobbs is a cognitive and sports neurologist working with people affected by cognitive decline and repeated head trauma. She explains why she believes sporting codes should move beyond the language of “head knocks” and take brain injury more seriously; what clinicians mean by “sub-concussive” injury; and why counting diagnosed concussions may not capture someone’s full exposure over a lifetime. We also discuss the clinical uncertainty around CTE, the questions raised by the Geelong concussion waiver story, and when changes in memory, mood or behaviour should prompt a person or family to seek help. Rowena describes how she approaches difficult conversations with people whose symptoms may suggest probable CTE — with honesty, but without alarmism. The conversation broadens into dementia: why more people are being diagnosed, the role of cardiovascular health, exercise, hearing and social connection, and why a promising case study is not the same as a proven treatment. A careful conversation about risk, care, evidence, and what we still don’t know.

    When a Head Knock Becomes a Brain Injury — with Dr Rowena Mobbs

  6. Sep 13

    Who Gets to Decide What Counts as Heritage? — with Melathi Saldin

    What counts as heritage — and who gets to decide? For Dr Melathi Saldin, heritage is not just monuments, museums or old buildings. It is the everyday stuff: food, ritual, language, places of worship, family stories, and the things people carry with them when they leave home. Melathi is a Lecturer in Cultural Heritage and Museum Studies at Deakin University. Born in Sri Lanka and now an Australian citizen, she shares how her own Sri Lankan-Malay background led her from archaeology into studying the way heritage can be used to shape belonging, identity and political power. We talk about the legacy of Sri Lanka’s civil war, why certain histories are protected while others are sidelined, and how communities hold onto culture after conflict and displacement. We also explore the largely unknown story of the Cocos Malay community: an Australian Muslim community on the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, closer to Sumatra than Perth, whose history is tied to colonial labour, forced movement and a version of Australia’s past many of us were never taught. Finally, Melathi explains why heritage destruction is not only about blowing up buildings — and why some losses cannot simply be repaired. This is a conversation about memory, power, migration, and the histories that shape us whether we notice them or not.

    Who Gets to Decide What Counts as Heritage? — with Melathi Saldin

  7. Sep 6

    Why New Dads Struggle in Silence — with Karen Wynter

    Sometimes, the best way to start a conversation about a new dad’s mental health is not to ask about mental health at all. It’s to ask: how are you sleeping? In this episode, Dr Karen Wynter explains why that small question can be a useful way into conversations fathers may otherwise avoid. We talk about the research on poor sleep, distress, depression and suicidal thoughts in the first year of fatherhood — and why there is still no routine mental health check-in designed specifically for new dads. We also explore father–infant attachment, the role of support and criticism between partners, and why fathers can feel like they are simply “in the room” during appointments that are meant to support the whole family. Karen shares what more father-inclusive care could look like in practice, from small actions by GPs, midwives and maternal and child health nurses through to larger changes in training, services and policy. We also discuss the Australian Fatherhood Research Consortium, intimate partner violence prevention, what COVID revealed about fathers’ caregiving, and Karen’s advice for families preparing for a second child. Dr Karen Wynter researches perinatal mental health, fatherhood, family wellbeing and how health services can better include fathers. If this conversation brings someone to mind — especially a new or expecting dad — send it their way.

    Why New Dads Struggle in Silence — with Karen Wynter

  8. Aug 30

    Why Kids Don’t Talk, and What Parents Can Do — with Martin Heppell

    Why don’t kids tell their parents what’s really going on? According to Martin Heppell, it often comes back to something simple: kids don’t talk because adults don’t talk either — about failure, embarrassment, worry, and the times they’ve stuffed up. Martin is a presenter with The Resilience Project and a dad of four. In this conversation, he unpacks what resilience actually means beyond “toughen up”, how parents can create the conditions for their kids to open up, and why being a safe person is more important than having the perfect answer. We also get into the reality of adolescence now: social media, body image, comparison, connection, mindfulness, and why this generation isn’t less resilient — they’re growing up in a very different world. For dads, Martin talks honestly about the pressure of early parenthood, losing touch with mates, looking after your own mental health, and why asking for help is not weakness. He also shares a personal story about childhood trauma, the importance of an open door at home, and why support matters when life gets heavy. You’ll leave with practical ways to have better conversations with your kids, your partner, and your mates.

    Why Kids Don’t Talk, and What Parents Can Do — with Martin Heppell
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About

Some conversations make you more certain. These ones don't. Uncomfortably Curious is a long-form conversation podcast hosted by Aidan Mill, exploring psychology, science, health, philosophy, history, and the questions underneath modern life — through conversations with researchers, thinkers, and practitioners who've gone deep on something. The goal isn't easy answers. It's questions worth sitting with.

Information

  • Creator
    Aidan Mill
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    21
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Aidan Mill. All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Uncomfortably Curious