Afternoons for Wednesday 26 February 2025

1:15 The art of online word games

With the huge popularity of web based word games like Wordle, Connections and thousands of versions of crossword, have you ever thought about trying to design one yourself? Where would you even start?

Arun Stephens has done just that - Hang Five is like the old game Hangman but with a digital twist.

1:25 what happen to New Zealand birds the last time the climate changed

When humans arrived in New Zealand they set about dramatic changes to the landscape, which in turn impacted birdlife. 

As we know, some species - like the moa - were hunted to extinction, while others fell victim to newly introduced predators and habitat destruction. 

But a new study from the University of Otago is looking back even further to the ice age to see how birdlife responded during that period. 

1:35 The climate change school for young people

Growing up isn't easy at the best of times but today's youth face an additional challenge: eco-anxiety.

While climate change is everyone's problem - they are the ones who will inherit the fallout of the damage we continue to do today.

What will their future look like on a planet that is both hotter and wetter? Will they have enough to eat? Where will they live?

These fears are so real that in Ōtautahi Christchurch they have set up the first campus of its kind in New Zealand to educate students - not just about climate change but about the action they can take.

Climate Action is a satellite campus of Ao Tawhiti school and director, Anita Yarwood joins Jesse.

1:45 Heading Off: A nudist guide to New Zealand

If you've been thinking about communing with nature in your natural state before it gets too nippy ... then we've got the guide for you.

Alice de Wet is President of the New Zealand Naturist Federation and on this week's Heading Off, we're talking about the best places to take off your clothes ... during these last glorious days of summer.

2:20 Easy Eats: Spiced lamb mince with hummus and flatbreads

Kelly Gibney brings  a meal full of crowd-pleasing flavours that’s perfect for weeknights. For an even quicker version, use store-bought hummus - though you’ll be rewarded if you make your own. Fresh hummus is worth the effort. Get the recipe here. 

2:30 Bookmarks with Christopher Luxon

The Prime Minister Chrisopher Luxon joins Jesse in this pre-recorded chat to discuss his cultural passions. 

It's a bit of country music, a bit of prestige television show Slow Horses and a lot of behind the scenes of being the Prime Minister.

3:10 Feature interview: BTS in the scam industry

It's easy to say "you should have known better' when someone falls victim to a scam". Every day, smart people lose life savings to con artists who know exactly how to exploit trust. Scams are a global industry extracting more than 500 billion dollars a year from victims.

The Economist investigates the crime, the criminals and the untold suffering they cause in a podcast called Scam Inc. South East Asia correspondent Sue Lin Wong tells the stories of victims, investigators, and even the scammers themselves, revealing their tricks so we can learn how to avoid them.

3:35 Stories from Our Changing World

Coming up on Our Changing World - researchers are using acoustic tags to track the movements of sharks in Fiordland to better understand how they use this special habitat.

3:45 The pre-Panel

Wallace Chapman and producer Olvia Wilson preview tonight's installment of The Panel.