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Saturday Morning for Saturday 3 August 2024

8:10 Money talks- but what about cash?

Consultation on the design of a 'digital cash' system for New Zealand closed last week.

The Reserve Bank is exploring the new type of currency that would be used in addition to the cash we spend today and electronic money we have in our bank accounts.

It had about 18,000 responses to its survey as well as detailed submissions. The bank says it will now consult with focus groups.

Ian Woolford, Head of Money and Cash at the Reserve Bank and Dr Chanelle Duley, economics lecturer from the University of Auckland join Susie to talk about digital cash and how it would be managed.

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Photo: 3dart/123RF

8:30 Northland going nuts for for peanuts

Peanut farming has not traditionally been done in New Zealand, but that might be about to change. A three-year trial taking place in Northland is already yielding promising results and some of the sample harvest has been turned into peanut butter by Pic's Peanut Butter. A special jar of New Zealand's first ever homegrown peanut butter sold on Trade Me recently for more than $3,000.

Dr Carolyn Lister from Plant & Food Research NZ, and Pic Picot join the show to discuss the trial and what has been learned about homegrown peanuts.

Peanuts being picked in Northland.

Peanuts being picked in Northland. Photo: RNZ / Nita Blake-Persen

9:05 Catherine Taylor - The Stirrings: A Memoir in Northern Time

Author Catherine Taylor was born in Waikato but grew up in Sheffield, South Yorkshire. She is a book critic and features writer for British and Irish newspapers.

Last week Catherine was announced the winner of the TLS Ackerley Prize for memoir and life-writing for her new book The Stirrings: A Memoir in Northern Time.

She'll be in New Zealand next month for Word Christchurch to talk about her book - which has been described as 'a superb, moving and disturbing memoir'.  She is also appearing at VERB Wellington.

Catherine Taylor and the cover of her book "The Stirrings"

Photo: supplied by Hachette

9:35 Nico Dosenbach: how psilocybin changes the brain

The effects of psilocybin - the active compound in magic mushrooms - have been illuminated in a new Washington University School of Medicine study.

For the study, seven people were given doses of the psychedelic drug, and then had their brains scanned by MRI. The resulting heat map showed the drug desynchronizing certain brain networks, potentially enhancing its plasticity. This work adds to efforts to harness psilocybin's potential to treat mental illness.

Dr Nico Dosenbach, an expert in brain imaging, was part of the study and joins the show to tell us more.

Heat map of brain activity patterns shows profound disturbance during an individual’s experience after taking psilocybin.

Heat map of brain activity patterns shows profound disturbance during an individual’s experience after taking psilocybin. Photo: Washington School of Medicine

10:05 Tits Up: Sarah Thornton

Sociologist and author Sarah Thornton hadn't really given too much thought to her breasts for most of her life. But in 2018, after undergoing a preventative double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery, she began to consider the social and cultural significance of them.

Thornton's latest book Tits Up investigates the fixation with mammary glands, drawing on insights from sex workers, milk bankers, plastic surgeons, witches, and bra designers.

Sarah Thornton, author of Tits Up

Photo: W. W. Norton / Aya Brackett

10:35 Heat energy from the earth: Graham Leonard 

Last week a hydrothermal explosion blew rock and steam into the air, destroyed a boardwalk and sent tourists running in the Yellowstone National Park.

GNS Science principal scientist Graham Leonard joins Susie to chat about hydrothermal explosions and how they differ to volcanic eruptions.

Erupted debris and mud soon after the 26 January 2001 hydrothermal eruption in Kuirau Park, Rotorua. That eruption was of a similar scale to last week’s eruption at Biscuit Basin, Yellowstone

Erupted debris and mud soon after the 26 January 2001 hydrothermal eruption in Kuirau Park, Rotorua. That eruption was of a similar scale to last week’s eruption at Biscuit Basin, Yellowstone Photo: Graham Leonard

11:10 Sir Wayne McGregor - You can dance

 Globally renowned choreographer, fascinated by the potential of the human body, Wayne McGregor is resident choreographer of The Royal Ballet.  He is in demand as a choreographer for theatre, opera, film and music videos  - famously choreographing the concert ABBA Voyage for the Swedish pop band.

Sir Wayne has recently received a knighthood for outstanding services to the field of dance. He says everybody can, and should dance.

Wayne McGregor

Wayne McGregor Photo: © Pal Hansen / 2017 / www.palhansen.com


11:35 Shiori Ito - Black Box Diaries

Japanese journalist-turned director Shiori Ito tells her own story in Black Box Diaries.

Her film is part of Whānau Mārama  - the New Zealand International Film Festival. 

In 2017 Shiori went public with an allegation of a sexual assault against a well-known figure and received death threats and hate mail.

The film follows Shiori as she sets out to change attitudes and Japan's sexual assault laws. 

Photo: Tsutomu Harigaya



Books this week

The Stirrings: A Memoir in Northern Time
By Catherine Taylor
Published by Hachette
ISBN: 9781399625562

Tits Up: What Our Beliefs About Breasts Reveal About Life, Love, Sex and Society
By: Sarah Thornton
Published by W W Norton
ISBN: 978-0-393-88102-8
 

 

 


 

Music played in this show

Song: Heart of Glass
Artist: Blondie
Time played: 9:40

Song: I Touch Myself
Artist: The Divinyls
Time played: 11:05

Song: I Will Survive
Artist: Gloria Gaynor
Time played: 11:58