Afternoons for Wednesday 24 May 2023

 

1:15 'Methane munching' microbes being developed at Canterbury University

Scientists at the University of Canterbury are testing theories about how to remove methane produced by cows from the atmosphere.

They're working on biofilters, which are micro-organisms that can breakdown methane.

Dr Peter Gostomski is a Chemical and Process Engineering Professor at the University. He talks to Jesse.

1:25 Birds of a feather to gather at Bird NZ Annual Conference in Taranaki

Local bird enthusiasts in Taranaki are getting in bird watching practice ahead of a big conference next week.

Around 160 scientists and dedicated birders will gather to learn about a huge range of research projects, conservation efforts, fossil studies and more.

It's estimated that the bird survey work by volunteers saves around 2 million dollars in wages.

Peter Fryer of Birds NZ talks to Jesse.

1:35 Could it ever be windy enough to blow over the Sky Tower?

The Sky Tower has been built to withstand gusts of 200 kilometres per hour.

We have already experienced historic storms this year, with scientists globally agreeing that climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events.

What could this mean for winds in the city?

Nick Locke, principal research engineer at consultancy firm WSP specialises in this area. He talks to Jesse.

1:45 Mike Beveridge's poems turned into European hits!

Last year local Whangamatā poet Mike Beveridge published a book called Poems for Remembering, which was then read by semi-famous, Spanish blues musician Jeff Espinoza, who turned Mike's poems into an album

And now the songs are touring Europe, gaining popularity, with airtime on Spanish national radio

Mike shares the songs on RNZ for the first time, and talks to Jesse about how this has all evolved.

 

2.12 Podcast Critic: Ximena Smith

Ximena talks to Jesse about Shadow of Doubt, a new series from The Australian and a new series from the BBC called Believe in Magic.

2:25 Bookmarks with Matthew Buchanan

This week for Bookmarks we meet co-founder of Letterboxd, Matthew Buchanan.

As well as running the online social networking service for movie buffs he's also a designer.

He talks to Jesse about his favourite films as well as watch he likes to read and listen to in his down time.

3:10 Carol Howe's story and could she have stopped Timothy McVeigh?

What if?  It's a question that haunts investigators and family members who lost loved ones in the worst domestic terrorist attack in America, the bombing of a federal building in Oklahoma City in 1995. They wonder if information from an unlikely spy might have prevented the attack. Carol Howe came from a wealthy, country club kind of family in Oklahoma. She joined the neo-Nazi movement, then turned government informant. She was spying on white supremacists  in Oklahoma when Timothy McVeigh carried out the deadly bombing. Could her information have prevented the bombing?  Award winning journalist Jon Ronson had heard  stories about Howe for years. He investigates her descent into hate-fueled extremism and what information she turned over that might have changed the course of history in his Audible series, The Debutante.

3:35 Stories from Our Changing World

Coming up on Our Changing World - Claire Concannon catches up with Professor Amanda Black to talk about the work of Bioprotection Aotearoa and her own research into soil.

3:45 The Panel with Sue Kedgley and Conor English