Ahoy from the mothership

We've hand-picked some goodies from Radio New Zealand for you to listen to over the weekend.

Emma Smith of Music 101 dissects the winning formula of 'Royals' by Lorde, with Dr Graeme Downes, Head of the Department of Music at the University of Otago.

In Insight, Alison Hossain asks whether New Zealand is paving the way as a world leader in marine protection – or if it’s all just smoke and mirrors.

The Government says it is committed to preserving New Zealand’s marine environment, with a record number of marine reserves due to be unveiled this year. It recently announced proposals for its biggest one so far: a 10,000-hectare reserve off the coast of Kaikoura.But environmentalists say the introduction of more reserves is a clear contradiction as the Government continues to encourage oil and gas exploration.

Are some of us born inclined towards violence, or can anyone be pushed into committing acts of cruelty? In this hour, TED speakers explore the sinister side of human nature, and whether we're all capable of violence. Featuring Four TED Talks: Philip Zimbardo on ‘Why Do Good People Do Bad Things?’; Jim Fallon on ‘What Does The Mind Of A Killer Look Like?’; Leslie Morgan Steiner asks ‘Why Don't Domestic Violence Victims Leave?’ and Steven Pinker asks ‘Is The World A Less Violent Place?’

In One in Five, Katy Gosset meets Thane Pullan – a rising star in stand-up comedy who does his gigs sitting down and makes comic fodder of the fact. Thane uses a wheelchair and voice technology to deliver his routines which have earned him a spot in next month’s Raw Comedy Quest Grand Final in Auckland. He talks to Katy about comedy gigs, dealing with hecklers, and why political correctness and his own disability are often the butt of his jokes.

Jim Mora of Afternoons talks to Professor Jeffery Kripal about embracing the unexplained, like dreams that come true and feelings of déja vû. Professor Kripal says we need to study the impossible to understand our brains and ourselves.

Kathryn Ryan of Nine to Noon talks to Chris Jackson, former All Whites captain, on his battle with depression. He’s been part of a global survey of professional footballers that has revealed high rates of anxiety and depression among current and retired players.

Resounding Radio looks at ‘Te Reo o te Tangata Whenua: The Story of Māori Radio’.

For much of the history of radio in New Zealand, ‘the voice of the people of the land' has been given only token recognition, yet Māori entertainers and personalities have enhanced radio from the beginning.

This Way Up talks to Anu Anand, who lives and works in Delhi, where traffic noise is sending city dwellers to an early grave.

Simon Morton of This Way Up also looks at the “Wikihouse”, a new global open-source building movement that aims to revolutionise how we build our homes. Designers Danny Squires and Martin Luff are hoping wikihouses can play a part in the Christchurch rebuild.