Sunday Morning for Sunday 7 February 2021

7:11 'Dasgupta Report has caught the world's attention' 

The British government-backed Dasgupta Report was released earlier this week, with study author Partha Dasgupta, an economist at the University of Cambridge, urging  the world's governments to rethink economic growth as a measure of success if they are to halt the destruction of the natural world. Guardian economics editor Larry Elliott is with us to look at the report and why he is confident it will be acted upon. 

7:36 Calling Home: Jane Va'afusuaga in Vailima, Samoa 

Former Wellingtonian Jane Va'afusuaga fell in love with Samoa the first time she visited in the late 1980s. She vowed to return one day but never imagined that she would eventually marry a Samoan Matai and end up living there for the better part of two decades. The mother, author, business-owner and woman of many considerable talents splits her time between Vailima, near Apia, and the family village, Falease'ela, on the other side of Upolu Island.  

8:10 Covid-19 update with Professor Gary McLean 

New Zealander Gary McLean is a professor in molecular immunology at London Metropolitan University and also a researcher with Imperial College. He's an international authority on coronaviruses. Dr McLean joins the show from London  to look at the latest Covid-19 developments.  

8:26 Lying men mimic the body language of other men they are talking to  

When telling a lie, it is not uncommon for men to imitate the body language of other men they are lying to without realising they are doing it. In a fascinating new study, Sophie van der Zee from Erasmus University Rotterdam has discovered that liars often deliberately change their behaviour into a way they think truth-tellers behave. She joins the show to explain how it all works, and how Donald Trump used different body language when he was saying factually correct and factually incorrect things.  

8:41 The Weekend Panel with Josie Pagani and Bernard Hickey 

On the Weekend Panel this morning are the current and international affairs commentator Josie Pagani and the economic commentator Bernard Hickey. They'll be looking at Waitangi Day celebrations, ethnic representations on councils, criticism aimed at Air NZ by Dr Siouxsie Wiles for serving food and drinks on flights, and the report of the Climate Change Commission.

9:06 Mediawatch

Mediawatch looks at coverage of the proposed plan to cut down our carbon emission by 2050. Also - a campaign piling on pressure to pay for a so-called miracle drug; critics call for less toxic talkback on the radio - and how the media milked suspicions of special treatment for a sports star's family.   

9:47 Riley Elliott: 'We can only blame ourselves for shark encounters' 

There has been a seeming multiplicity of shark sightings around the coastline this summer, including the tragic death of a woman who was mauled by a shark at a beach near Waihī in January. However, scientist Riley Elliott says with worldwide shark numbers declining by 70% over the last 50 years due to an 18 fold increase in fishing pressure - and way more humans going into the water than ever before - we cannot blame sharks for us encountering them more. He says the key is education and understanding the environments we go into.      

10:06 How rap music is helping to reduce mental health stigma 

Superstar rappers like Jay-Z, Kanye West and Kendrick Lamar are now at the forefront of opening up the mental health conversation, with a new study out of the University of North Carolina showing that over the past two decades, the lyrics of the most popular songs in rap have been increasingly hitting on issues relating to anxiety, depression and mental health. Study author and former music producer Alex Kresovich explains. 

10:33 Why consumers prefer feminine brand names 

Consumers consistently prefer 'feminine' brand names to 'masculine' ones, according to a series of studies published in the Journal of Marketing by Ruth Pogacar, a professor of marketing at the University of Calgary. Along with an increased perception of warmth, the studies found feminine names are associated with better brand performance. Professor Pogacar joins the show to discuss her research. 

10:50 Study shows stretching more effective than walking to lower high blood pressure 

A new study out of the University of Saskatchewan has found that stretching is superior to brisk walking for reducing blood pressure in people with high blood pressure or who are at risk of developing elevated blood pressure levels. Kinesiology professor and study co-author Dr Phil Chilibeck explains how they formulated their results in this first-ever study comparing stretching and walking. 

11:10 Joe Moran: 'Failure is what unites us' 

Do you ever feel like a failure? Enter widely acclaimed observer of daily life Professor Joe Moran, not to tell you that everything will be OK in the end, but to reassure you that failure is an occupational hazard of being human. Moran's new book, If You Should Fail, is about how modern life, in a world of self-advertised success, makes us feel like failures, frauds and imposters. Professor Moran joins the show from his base in Liverpool. 

11:37 From Black Caps batsman to country balladeer 

John Wright may be best known for his cricket career -- he captained and coached the Black Caps and was the first Kiwi to score 5000 test runs -- but he is also an accomplished musician who has just released his second full album, Walking Tracks. He joins the show to discuss his love of music and New Zealand's dramatic rise to the top of the test cricket world.