Afternoons for Thursday 21 November 2024

1:15 Native plants in Tongariro National Park are facing a major threat

A new study has found that native plants in Tongariro National Park are being hit hard by the spread of invasive heather, with a 40 to 50 percent decline in native species in some areas.  Dr Julie Deslippe, a senior lecturer in biological sciences at Te Herenga Waka-Victoria University of Wellington joined Jesse.

1:25 Are bobby cows the answer to reducing New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions?

Beef cattle account for roughly 10% of Aotearoa New Zealand's total greenhouse gas emissions.

There's plenty of research looking into methods to reduce emissions - vaccines, seaweed-based feed, and selective breeding programs are all being explored.

But according to a new AgResearch study there could be a simpler way.

1:35 Lord of the Ring (laser)

For over a decade, an irreplaceable ring laser has been trapped in a cavern 30m below Christchurch port hills.

The Carl Zeiss laser was installed in an old World War Two bunker in 1997 until a rockfall after the 2011 Christchurch earthquake sealed the cavern. But now it's been rescued and is fully operational.

Professor Jon-Paul Wells is the principal investigator on the ring laser project.

1:45 Please help find a cockatoo that says "hello darling"

Staff at an Upper Hutt Wildlife reserve are devastated after the alleged theft of its "loving and talkative" Cockatoo 'Pepper' 

Staglands staff believe the 6-year-old sulphur crested cockatoo was taken from her aviary on Sunday and are now asking the public and police for help getting her back...

Stagland's general manager Sarah Purdy talks to Jesse about Pepper and the alleged abduction.

1:45 Great album: Arthur Ahbez and the Flaming Ahbez

Today's feature album is Arthur Ahbez and the Flaming Ahbez. It's the third album from the folk slash 60s rock infulenced musican. 

Arthur says he realised he had been touring and playing with his band for three years, yet had never recorded with them. He decided to correct that.

So this album is a departure from his previous home DIY records, this  was recorded, with band, in the Auckland studio of engineer Joseph Faris.

Arthur and the Flaming Ahbez are our guests tomorrow on the show, they will be in our Auckland studio for NZ Live. 

2:10 Podcast Critic: pods to send you to sleep

RNZ News reader Evie Ashton reviews an eclectic bunch of podcasts that can help send you off to sleep.

2:30 NZ Sporting History: Steve Gurney

Adventure racer and multisport triathlete Steve Gurney joins us for this week's NZ Sporting History.

Steve is most well-known for winning the 243km Coast to Coast race a record 9 times and representing New Zealand at two Mountain bike world championships.

3:15 Solving the World's Problems: midwife-led maternity care

Publicist Ali Jones says she has the answer to poor health outcomes for mothers and newborns: a health system where midwives are front and center. It's an approach advocated for by the WHO in a new report. But there is one place where a system like this is already implemented: Aotearoa/New Zealand. but is it appropriately funded?  

3:20 History with Dr Grant Morris

Dr Grant from Victoria University looks at the history of mass protests in New Zealand and how they stack up against Tuesday's hikoi to Wellington. 

3:35 BBC Witness History

Germans have been stripping off at the beach for years. The naturist movement is called FKK, an abbreviation which translates to 'free body culture'.

3:45 The pre-Panel 

Wallace Chapman and his producer Carol Stiles visits Jesse to preview tonight's Panel.