Who to marry, what to do for a job, where to live; these are the decisions we always believe will totally shape our lives. They do. Brian Klaas is a professor of global politics at University College London. He speaks to Mark.

Forget about the fashionable, flashy air fryer is the humble slow cooker or crock pot has outlasted many a kitchen gadget and has lasted the distance. Today we speak to Sally Wise, she's authored three books on the art of slow cooking.

For Made in NZ today we meet the team behind NZ Crayons and learn the history of the company which goes back to helping soldiers from world war II who returned home with disabilities caused through injuries.

Today reviewer Jonathan Mahon-Heap talks to Mark about Expats starring Nicole Kidman, it's streaming on Prime. He has also been watching True Detective: Night Country starting Jodi Foster, streaming on NEON. He also talks about Fellow Travellers, also on NEON.

Tony Knight's come up with a unique way to combine dog training with comedy. He's tapped into talents as 'the dog listener' to create a unique show that he's bringing across from Australia to Auckland on Sunday.

Peter Hogg collects, repairs, and sells vintage sewing machines, and not just that, he also sells them for charity. Peter worked at the Singer sewing machine shop on Timaru's Stafford St in the 1960s. We spoke to him.

Today we are paying tribute to one of the greatest Rugby Union players of all time Barry John. In sporting circles he was simply known as 'The King'. Keith Quinn remembers the Welsh great with Mark.

Today is World Wetlands Day and this week's critter, the waikaka black mudfish, reveals just how vital these boggy ecosystems are for some of our more elusive and endangered fish species. Waikaka means 'cunning in water' - the black mudfish earned this name because of the clever way they survive the dry summer months by burying themselves in mud.

Today gardening guru Lynda Hallinan has some tips on helping your plants and garden survive the heat.

Today Martin Bosley shares a recipe which is great to use up any old or bruised peaches you may have lying around. He talks Jesse through how to make his delicious raspberry and peach cake. You can find the recipe to make at home here.

Today Dom talks to Jesse about wrestling drama The Iron Claw, Elvis-adjacent biopic Priscilla and Australian crime drama Force of Nature: The Dry 2.

This week we hear some spooky stories from two listeners. Loreen has a story about an inexplicable incident in Sydney while Sue shares a story about an eerie coincidence just after the death of her beloved dog.

Today World Wetland day. Ben Goodwin joines Jesse to talk about the history of them around Tamaki Makaurau.

The Horowhenua Vintage Machinery Club's Harvest Weekend is running this Saturday and Sunday. The club's been pulling out all the stops for the signature event's return. We speak to their president Rod Clifton.

Grace Payne is a special Olympian. She has just been chosen as a Special Olympics Global Messenger and she is the FIRST New Zealander to be selected for the role. Jesse speaks to Grace.

Golf has one of the longest histories of modern sports. While we can trace golf-like games back centuries, it is generally accepted that the modern game developed in Scotland during the eighteenth century (the 1700s). This is before many other popular sports such as football and rugby. Dr Grant Morris looks back at its history in Aotearoa.

Today retired Hawkes Bay farmer Steve Wyn-Harris talks to Jesse about the big drought that was forecast for this summer season and how that's not been the case for many parts of the country.

Olympic medalist, Dylan Scmidt, won the first ever medal for New Zealand in gymnastics in 2021, in the men's trampoline category. He's been trampolining since he was a young boy. And now he's set his sights on the Paris Olympics. He speaks to Jesse about his sporting successes.

An Afternoons listener has written in with concerns about a fish and chip shop at Mangonui who give the fish remains from their processing plant to customers to feed sharks. Clinton Duffy, a marine scientist at DOC talks to Jesse.

Julie Woods - perhaps better known as 'That Blind Woman' - is a speaker, author, and global ambassador for Blind Low Vision NZ. Today is her 58th birthday and in true Julie fashion she's celebrating with a big public birthday bash.

Riccarton High School in Christchurch has created a role for a cultural diversity facilitator. We wanted to know more about her role and how the benefits for the school, Jesse speaks to Dr Sharnali Tisi.

Pollen is a big trigger for New Zealand’s high rates of hay fever and asthma. But for 35 years, we’ve had no current data on pollen levels – until now. Justin Gregory talks to a team who want to change that.

On her 18th birthday, Harry Potter star Emma Watson watched in disbelief as out of control tabloid paparazzi got down on the pavement to take pictures up her dress. When it came to women in the early 2000's, nothing was off limits says writer Sarah Ditium. Her new book reflects on the way 9 women, including Brittany Spears and Lindsay Lohan, were subjected to systematic sexual harassment, assault, and discrimination and how that treatment shaped the way women would see themselves for years to come. Her new book is called Toxic: Women, Fame and The Noughties.

Today Ximena talks to Jesse about The Studies Show, a podcast by two British science writers. She's also been listening to season two of Things Fell Apart, a show by Jon Ronson exploring 'culture wars'.

This week on heading off we speak to Elisabeth Easther about travelling to Kawau Island in the Hauraki Gulf. Each week we're talking travel in this segment, if you have something to share, a hack, a wonderful trip, a hidden gem for visitors in your hood - please text 2101 or email jesse@rnz.co.nz.

The Environmental Protection Authority, or EPA, announced yesterday that from December 31st 2026 they will ban  PFAS's/  Melanie Kah, associate professor at the University of Auckland speaks to Jesse.

Good news for plane spotters in Nelson - the airport has created six viewing windows in the fence line, giving an unobstructed view for enthusiasts. Dan Hay is one of Nelson's most active plane spotters, he speaks to Jesse.

There's been some excitement for bird lovers recently, with a possible sighting of a Kokako in Southland. Inger Perkins is the manager of the South Island Kokako Charitable Trust. She speaks to Jesse.

There are few things as comforting as being absolutely sure the bus will be there on time, you ticked the right box on the exam. Un-certainty is uncomfortable, but necessary says author and journalist Maggie Jackson. 

Brad Foster reports on the worthy recipients of the Australian of the Year Awards for 2024 - two pioneering melanoma research sufferers - a hot new exhibition that has just landed in Sydney, and the latest news making headlines across the country.

Today Catherine talks to Jesse about Sam Low's cookbook, Modern Chinese, The Seven by Australian crime writer Chris Hammer and Clanlands in New Zealand by Sam Heughan and Graham McTavish.

Today for Tech Tuesday we speak to Ambit AI co-founder and CEO Tim Warren about the pros and cons of electric vehicles.

The saga of the famed Cathedral Cove walking track in the Coromandel continues, with DoC conceding this week it may never reopen. Mercury Bay Business Association spokesman Ray Van Beynen updates Jesse.

Research shows that we don't absorb as much information reading from a screen as we do reading from paper. Dr Lilu Yu at MacQuarie University in Australia has been studying the way we read and what the differences are.

In June 2022, renowned chef and restaurateur Rick Stein would have a meal of haddock that would set him on a path to simplifying his life and his work. For the seafood champion, it had to be fish, but most importantly, it was the last meal he had before undergoing open heart surgery. His latest cookbook is an ode to the ordinary, and cooking well with few ingredients and easy preparation. We'll talk to Rick Stein about 'Simple Suppers'.

We've all seen the tv shows where a hypnotist asks a volunteer from the audience to get up on stage and then proceeds to hypnotise them so they start clucking like a chicken, but there's more to it than that. June Callan, runs June Callan Clinical Hypnotherapy based in Auckland. While working as a Pain Clinical Nurse Specialist she noticed a lack in options for chronic pain sufferers and realised that hypnotherapy could be an effective tool in pain relief and even some mental health conditions. She's with us in the Auckland studio to talk about hypnosis. If you have any questions for her please text 2101 or email jesse@rnz.co.nz

For Made in NZ this week we meet the creators of Lavender Abbey, Jan and Stuary Abernethy. Each year they tend to more than 3,500 plants on their property which are harvested in February and made into their award winning 100% pure essential oil.

Today Linda talks to Jesse about Claremont: The Killer Among Us on TVNZ+, The Curse on Neon and The Traitors on ThreeNow.

What began as a request for freezer meals on social media back in 2020, has developed into Kura Kai - a regular fixture in 38 schools around the country. General manager Marie Paterson explains the kaupapa to Jesse.

If you have capable hands and a budding interest in trains, the Waitara Railway Preservation Society needs you. The society's secretary and treasurer Derek Baker speaks to Jesse.

Bronwyn Scott is program manager at Recycle a Device. She says Recycle a Device has received requests for over a thousand laptops this week alone - and is struggling to keep up with demand. She talks to Jesse.

The first Critter of 2024 is the largest snail in Aotearoa - the superb giant land snail, Powelliphanta superba. These snails are big, golden and fabulous, and they're a worm's worst nightmare!

New Year new jobs to tackle at home? If you're doing any DIY at our property this weekend builder Stan Scott's here to answer any questions. If you want to ask him anything please text 2101 or email jesse@rnz.co.nz

Chef and author Sam Parish is back with us after having her second baby in September last year. This week she's sharing a great recipe for a pesto you can make and store in the freezer, all ready to go when you want a delicious and healthy home made pasta. You can find out how to make this recipe at home here.

Today RNZ Afternoons producer Sam Hollis talks to Jesse about All Of Us Strangers and Mean Girls.

We dive back into the pool of spooky, coincidental and unexplained stories provided by you the listeners.

If you're in the Coromandel region this weekend, Whitianga might be the place to be. The annual BayJam event will be on, with an array of musicians, performers and local foods to peruse. Keey Fremm is one of the performers.

Housing and keeping supply up with demand is a massive issue across Aotearoa. But if you live in Dunedin, there's a housing guardian angel hanging around in the form of businessman Roger Fewtrell. He speaks Jesse.

Andrew Cranswick is part of a very practical project in Hawkes Bay, retrieving, repairing and sanitising some of the horticultural bins that were washed around the area. He's with Tumu timbers, and leading the bin clean up operation.

Today Mary talks to Jesse about bank term deposits, the rates and the risks.

Erin Baker is an incredible triathlete, from the beginning of competing she was winning events, sometimes just a week apart. For today's sporting history we speak to Erin about her incredible victories and how it started.

In Auckland there's an  interesting housing development called CoHaus, and after a long development process residents finally moved in around three years ago. We catch up with one of the residents, Dr David Welch.

The Robert Redford-founded Sundance Film Festival is one of the biggest annual film events on the calendar. Earlier this week our own Libby Hakaraia was announced as the recipient of this years Merata Mita Fellowship.

The New Zealand gold rush kicked off in 1861 after gold was found near the Tuapeka River in Otago. Now a Clutha museum is  bringing that history back to life. Tuapeka Goldfields Museum & Visitor Centre manager speaks to Jesse.

Giant kelp is under pressure. Can an ambitious underwater forest planting effort help restore this disappearing ocean ecosystem? 

Speed will be the hallmark of 2024. Life comes at us fast says Tom Standage, deputy editor of The Economist magazine and editor of the annual forward looking special edition, The World Ahead in 2024.

For Bookmarks today we meet one of the incredible founders of Trade Me, a not-for-profit business founded forty years ago, designed to help the lives of people in poverty stricken parts of the world. Together with her husband Vi Cottrell has been busy running the unique company which, over the years, has improved the quality of life for countless people. She's our Bookmarks guest this week.

For this week's collectors corner we head to the Waikato where Helen and Brian Gibson have been collecting Christmas miniatures for the past 15 years.

Today Alex Barnes talks to Jesse about two podcasts, Once a Panther. Our History. Our Words and Ten Percent Happier.

For 2024 we're starting a new weekly feature all about travel. Today we speak to Darnel Eparaima who enjoyed a cruise with her two young daughters, she's got some great inside knowledge about enjoying the cruise.

Kiwi Melissa Gunn is one of the winners of an international short story competition, Imagine 2200: climate fiction for future ancestors, run by American magazine Grist.

Lighthouse gin head distiller, Rachel Hall, is the one woman production line that makes and bottles every single bottle herself. But, she didn't always like gin. She speaks to Jesse.

Evolutionary biologist Distinguished Professor Hamish Spencer has received international recognition as a new Fellow of the International Science Council (ISC). He's received the highest honour to be conferred by the ISC.

2023. Yes it was the hottest year on record. But we need to say no to doom and gloom about climate change says Dr Hannah Ritchie a researcher at Oxford and deputy editor of the online publication Our World in Data.

Ten years ago, musician, composer and podcast host Hrishikesh Hirway started a podcast called Song Exploder to get over his own writers block. It's now an internationally award winning podcast. Hrishikesh joins us to talk music.

Back from the holiday break, Brad Foster reports on the Australian PM calling his cabinet ministers back to Canberra two weeks early to discuss the ongoing cost of living challenges for everyday Australians among other issues.

Today Claire talks to Jesse about The Cazalet Chronicles - a five-book series by Elizabeth Jane Howard, So Late in the Day by Claire Keegan and The Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff.

Today Dan talks to Jesse about the new tech trends for consumers for 2024.

An Auckland couple, Grant and Amy Difford wanted to turn their love of mid-century pieces into a business, and the death of someone close to them was the catalyst to take that leap of faith. Grant speaks to Jesse about that change.

One of our listeners, a chap named Andrew, text in yesterday because they noticed a familiar sound missing from the usual summer chorus of cicadas and crickets. The bug man, Ruud Kleinpaste is with us to help solve the mystery!

Alethea Boon is a high achieving athlete herself, representing New Zealand in both gymnastics and weightlifting at the Commonwealth Games. Now she's in a new role being a gladiator in the Australian reboot of the show.

Crispin Thurlow is  a professor of language and communication and he says, embracing mediocrity and having the courage to be ordinary may actually be the path to contentment.

For today's expert feature we're talking about the basics of keeping your teeth clean, and habits that can prevent tooth decay. To answer your questions we're joined by Murray Thomson, emeritus Professor of Dental Epidemiology and Public Health Oral Sciences at Otago University. He has three decades of research behind him.

For Made in NZ today we're going down to Ashburton, where a company has been manufacturing socks for well over 120 years. The New Zealand Sock Company was established in 1901.

Today Dom talks to Jesse about The Curse, which was on NEON, Death and Other Details on Disney+ and Fool Me Once on Netflix.

Our National under 18 women's ice hockey team have started 2024 on a high by winning a gold medal at the International Ice Hockey Federation world championships in Bulgaria.

Each year across New Zealand more deaths are caused by medicine related errors than lives lost on our roads. A University of Canterbury start up is hoping to turn around that statistic. Script Sense CEO Puneet Saini talks to Jesse.

"Think like a skink" - that's the advice of wildlife photographer and enthusiast Holly Neill, who for the past couple of years has been nurturing a lizard garden, or 'Mokomoko Manor'.

Santa isn't the only one zipping around in a red coat at this time of year. The beautiful redcoat damselfly, Xanthocnemis zealandica, is commonly seen flitting around streams and ponds all over the country in the summer.

Today Lynda Hallinan is with us to talk about taking care of the garden when you're not around over the summer season and how to give it a bit of help when you're back if it's suffered a bit in your absence.

Today Julie Biuso of Shared Kitchen has two fabulous summer salad recipes to share. They're both great for the table on Christmas day or for using up left overs and an abundance of corn throughout summer. You can find out how to make the White Peach Salad here. And the sweetcorn salad recipe is here.

Today our two film reviewers Sam Hollis and Graeme Tuckett join forces to talk about the movies of 2023, what they loved and what they'd give a miss. GRAEME'S LIST 5. Killers of the Flower Moon 4. Ms.Information 3. EO 2. Past Lives 1. Oppenheimer SAM'S LIST 5. Rye Lane 4. Past Lives 3. Poor things 2. Killers of the Flower Moon 1. Monster

Today for the final Freaky Friday of 2023 we hear from Peter from Christchurch and Denise from Auckland.

Harry Scott's mission is to connect tamariki with nature in a way that stays with them through life. After struggling with dyslexia through school, it was in nature that things made sense.

New research from Massey University reveals same-sex couples divide household chores more fairly than heterosexual couples. Sociologist Alice Beban looked into this, she speaks to Jesse.

It's that time of the year when the drinks are flowing and a lot of the usual rules for boozing go out the window. But it can be a difficult time for people who for, many different reasons, no longer drink alcohol. Lotta Dann speaks to Jesse.

Today Mary Holm wraps up the big financial issues that have been around in 2023.

For NZ Sporting history today we speak to surfing sensation Paige Hareb: the first woman to qualify for the ASP Women's World Tour. She's been surfing the international surfing circuit since she was 17. She joins Jesse to talk about her passion for the sport and her quest to qualify for the 2024 Olympics.

Cruise ship passengers to Aotearoa are being offered a unique vintage rail excursion from Gisborne to Muriwai this weekend. To tell us more, Jesse speaks to Shaw from Gisborne City Vintage Railway group.

With many Kiwis heading for the beach this summer, a new survey shows there is a growing appreciation of sustainable conservation efforts along our coastline.

What's behind the apparent jump in berry prices in recent days, how is the season going - and how can we best keep berries fresh over the festive season? To answer these questions Jay Malloy from Kaipaki Berries talks to Jesse.

Each day this week we're replaying one our NZ Sporting history interviews from 2023. Earlier this year we spoke to someone who's won three Rugby World Cups in 2011, 2015, and 2021, Wayne Smith.

There's a surprising link between Argentina's dinosaurs and Aotearoa. William Ray visits the new Patagonian dinosaur exhibit at Te Papa museum to find out more.

For Comedian Tim Babb, the countdown to Christmas begins on Boxing day. All year long, he listens to holiday music, watches bad Christmas movies, and researches the history and traditions of the holiday season around the world.

Today we meet Robin Smith, a former rugby league player and referee. He's got a collection of memorabilia about the sport that he's collected over the last 60 years.

Today Ximena talks to Jesse about Walters War and Hot Money: The New Narcos.

Emma Ferris was the victim of an expert romantic scammer, but managed to avoid losing her life savings by turning the tables on him.  Today we catch up with Emma and talk about her new series.

Exciting times for a Taranaki business working at the cutting edge of cardio diagnostics. A joint venture with an Australian company should mean that more kiwis will benefit from the technology, and get a faster cardiac diagnosis.

  'Researchers at the Museums Victoria Research Institute say a new fossil suggests that larger baleen whales first emerged in the Southern Hemisphere.

Residents who take part each year in the very popular Franklin Road lights display have been hit with a bit of grinch fever this year. They find themselves battling to keep the experience free from any pressure to spend money.

Today owner and managing director of Vertech IT Services, Dan Watson, talks to Jesse about what cyber-criminals are saying about AI and Chat GPT type tools, a warning about default passwords on internet linked kit and Dan's favourite daily use app.

Brad Foster reveals Christmas travel plans for Aussies, flooding in Cairns, and reports on a call for motorists to slow down this holiday period after a horrific weekend on Australian roads. He also reflects on some of the biggest news stories in the country in 2023.

Planned commercial boating events at one of our summer hot spot have been cancelled, in an effort to protect the lake from the unwanted freshwater gold clam. To find out more Taupo District Mayor, David Trewavas, speaks to Jesse.

The United Nations conference on Climate Change, or COP28, wrapped up in Dubai last week, agreeing to ratchet up climate action before the end of the decade. Chief Executive Officer of Eco Choice Aotearoa Laura Gemmell was there.

Each day this week we're replaying one our NZ Sporting history interviews from 2023. Today we've got Jesse's chat with the legendary Dame Lois Muir.

Boxing Day films are usually blockbusters with big special effects but One Life (starring Sir Anthony Hopkins) tells an epic story that is powerfully human at the same time. It's about Sir Nicholas Winton - a man who became known as the "British Schindler" after successfully rescuing 669 Jewish children from Czechoslovakia and certain death in Nazi camps on the eve of World War II.

Dunedin food scientist Phil Bremer gives us the lowdown on how long you can safely store a range of foods - including half avocados, boiled eggs and tomato sauce.

For Made in NZ today we're talking to, what we think, could be one of the oldest manufacturing businesses in Aotearoa. McKinlays Footwear has been making shoes in Dunedin since 1879 and is currently run by the fifth generation iteration of McKinlays. David McKinlay speakd to Jesse.

Today Linda talks about the local production, After the Party and a documentary series on World War II in which black and white footage has been colourised.

The festive season of course means a wide variety of festive food. For those in charge of the Christmas fare that means achieving the perfect food texture. Sophia Rodrigues is a food physicist based at the University of Waikato.

For many New Zealanders, they're part of the family. But what should you do if your precious pet is sick or hurt and and the vet clinic is closed. It's a scenario we're being urged to think about heading into summer.

Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga is seeking submissions on a proposal to list the Area 51 Futuro House in Ohoka, on the outskirts of Christchurch, as a Category 1 historic place.

Today we're talking about the life and achievements of one of our most successful athletes. Eve Rimmer was the first woman to represent New Zealand at the Paralympics, and first person to win a medal.

This week's critter is a tiny jumping moth. The flightless and dusty-looking Kiwaia "Cloudy Bay" moth only lives on one type of mat daisy (Raoulia australis) in a few areas of north-eastern Marlborough. Local DOC staff and farmers are working hard to protect this critically endangered critter.

Martin Bosley shares a lovely recipe to make the most of eggplants that are around right now. It's a simple to follow dish that can be made in advance and have a bit of feta or natural yoghurt added to it.

Today Dom talks to Jesse about Wonka, Silent Night and Leave the World Behind.

Today we have two more Freaky Friday stories to share, both are from Christchurch. We hear from Melanie and Jeanie, who have their own very different stories.

A bedazzled grand piano in Palmerston North is creating some Christmas cheer, and attracting a steady stream of visitors keen to tickle the ivories. Allen Birchler speaks to Jesse.

A group of volunteers in Wellington are on a mission to rid the city of Old Man's Beard, a vine that smothers New Zealand native bush. Nigel Charman from Old Man's Beard Free Wellington speaks to Jesse.

It's the end of the year and Dr Grant Morris is on another history trip to the Chatham Islands and ready to share some final history thoughts for 2023.

Today Ben's been thinking about the fundamental breakdown in society. He talks to Jesse about how social cohesion is failing and how it's all related to the fact that we all know our rights as citizens but few of us know our obligations.

Today for NZ Sporting History we speak to the man who, for many years, was responsible for bringing some of the biggest names in tennis to Auckland. Karl Budge, until recently, was the ASB Classic Tournament director.

Roast chicken, turkey or lamb will be on the menu for many Kiwis this Christmas. But it appears an increasing number are opting for the non meat version. Christchurch's Grater Goods founder and CEO Flip Grater speaks to Jesse.

Tim Batt and Guy Montgomery have been running their Worst Idea Of All Time podcast for 10 years. This Saturday fans have a chance to see their hilarious last review of 2023 live.

It's less than two years until the 2025 Special Olympics National Summer Games to be held in Otautahi Christchurch. For local Special Olympics clubs, it means raising the funds to get them there.

Off the coast of Gisborne, slow-motion earthquakes are occurring in an area where one tectonic plate dives under another. A research team have mapped this area, known as the Hikurangi subduction zone, in incredible detail, revealing surprising findings.

Why we sleep is a mystery. But there are scientists who endured ridicule for trying to unlock the secrets of slumber anyway starting 100 years ago. They dared to suggest that sleep is crucial for good health.

Today Evie talks to Jesse about podcasts Ologies and Connections. Both are science related.

Making  chocolate magic of his own here in Aotearoa is Māori chocolatier Tom Wright from Ao Cacao. Tom is ending the year on a high, having just opened his flagship store, and returning from a trip to Paris to showcase his products.

Reaching the honour of taekwondo master at the age of 80 is the latest achievement for Taranaki's Dale Copeland. She also holds a master's degree in mathematics as well as being an 'assembly artist'. Dale speaks to Jesse.

Santa's elves have been busy in Tairāwhiti, creating wooden toys for deserving kids this Christmas. The toys are made during the year by members of the Gisborne Woodturners Club for Operation Pinocchio.

Grace is something hard to define, but we know it when we feel compassion and kindness offered with an open heart. Julia Baird found grace in the nurses who cared for her in the hospital, battling cancer for the four time.

Brad Foster reports on the extreme heat in Sydney on Saturday and more expected in the coming weeks in the lead-up to Christmas, the government's new 10-year migration strategy, a couple of Aussies in the running for Golden Globes, and the Australia-New Zealand golf combo who beat the rest of the world.

This week Catherine's got some guest reviews in the mix for her books chat. One is from Jane Arthur at GOOD BOOKS in Te Aro, who's picked Audition by Pip Adam to review and the other is from Louise Ward at Wardini books in Hawkes Bay, she's reviewing The Observologist.

This week neuropscyhologist Hannah Korrel talks about New Year's resolutions, whether they are a good idea and what's practical in terms of setting goals.

Launched in June 1977 Rip It Up, was a free monthly music magazine, distributed through record shops nationwide. Now 13 years more years of Rip It Up, from 1986 to 1998, are able to be read online. Chris Bourke speaks to Jesse.

It's not what you might expect to find in central Invercargill, but international beach tennis in the CBD could soon be a reality. Executive officer of Volley South, Donna Milne talks to Jesse.

Yesterday on the show we talked about the fight against the fall armyworm and we were asked us to talk about the invasive cluster flies, describing them as "like a biblical locust plague". So we talk to Dr Paul Craddock.

Mal Evans was many things to the Beatles, road manager, bodyguard and keeper of their guitar picks, a little weed and a secrets he kept in meticulous notes and diary entries. Now his book has finally been published.

With summer on the doorstep and outdoor adventures on the agenda for the holidays, this week's expert topic is a timely one. We're talking about first aid, how to be prepared and what you can do to help if you're first on the scene.

As we head into summer, many of us are looking forward to enjoying the great outdoors across Aotearoa-New Zealand. Thanks to some classic Kiwi ingenuity that is an option for those unable to explore some of our best known tracks on foot. The ViMo all terrain wheelchair is the brainchild of Wairarapa man Peter Thompson, he speaks to Jesse.

Today Claire talks to Jesse about Fargo and Colin from Accounts.

The fight against the fall armyworm has stepped around Aotearoa. Ashley Mills from the Foundation for Arable research speaks to Jesse about their co-ordinated efforts to deal with the pest.

What could potentially be the country's creepiest Christmas display is again on show in Dunedin. The spooky pixies are now homed at the Toitu Otago Settlers Museum. Jesse speaks to the curator there, Peter Read.

Music in surgical operating rooms is fairly commonplace, with many believing it calms and focuses the mind. But does it? The question intrigued one musician and medical student so much, he decided to turn it into a PhD project .

RNZ producer and film critic Sam Hollis reviews the latest from legendary Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki 'The Boy and the Heron' and the satirical teen-comedy 'Bottoms'.

Monday December 11 is International Mountain Day - a day to celebrate mountains and the incredible role they play in our world. It's also a great day to celebrate the Mt Arthur giant weta, Deinacrida tibiospina, which lives in the mountains of Kahurangi National Park in tussock and alpine herbfields. This cute giant weta is under threat from rats and mice and is now classified as critically endangered.

Today landscaper and gardening expert Tony Murrell is with Jesse in the studio with some ideas about how to spruce up your outdoor areas for the summer months ahead. If you have any questions for Tony please text 2101 or email jesse@rnz.co.nz.

Today Gretchen Lowe has a wonderful recipe for a Christmas day dessert or something to take to a summer BBQ. 

We dive back into the pool of spooky, coincidental and unexplained stories provided by you the listeners. If you have a Freaky Friday story to share, email us or text 2101. Today, Jesse hears two stories from Glen and Ana.

It was a mainstay of the 1970s, and now it appears cottage cheese is making a comeback. Tik Tok is making it cool again. Google searches are at a 20-year high, and the New York Times has even devoted space to investigating the so called 'Cottage Cheese Comeback'. Chef Julie Biuso joins Jesse to discuss why cottage cheese is back in vogue.

Nick "Ikarus" Tam is a legend of our graffiti and street art scene, and was a founding member of Otautahi's most renowned graffiti collective, the DTR crew. 

The Mātai research centre is taking world leading medical imaging research from Gisborne to the globe. 

Today Mary talks to Jesse about repaying debt and why wealth is a bit like a tank full of water. She's also urging people to avoid running up high-interest debt over the Christmas season.

Today's NZ Sporting history looks back on the career of one our most decorated Olympic athletes. Blyth Tait's equestrian career rocketed from being almost a novice to a world champion overnight. He speaks to Jesse about his extraordinary accomplishments and how he's kept busy in retirement.

While meteor showers are not uncommon, Tuesday night's event promises to be unique. Among those looking forward to this celestial event is Otago University geologist Professor James Scott. He speaks to Jesse.

Conservationists are calling for something to be done about the impact of annual 'Crate Day' on the endangered black-fronted terns in Canterbury. Peter Langlands is from the black-fronted tern protection group, he speaks to Jesse.

LegaSea is an organisation that protects the rights and experiences of recreational fishers, as well as standing against bulk harvesting and bottom trawling to protect our marine life. For many years, Scott Macindoe has led the team.

Earthquakes, volcanic activity, tsunamis and landslides – the shaky isles are prone to geohazards. Claire Concannon visits the National Geohazard Monitoring Centre, where a team of analysts are on alert 24/7.

Sometimes it feels like, our planet is bursting at the seams with humans. But fertility rates are actually falling in many parts of the globe. Dr Jennifer Sciubba is one of the world's leading authorities on demographic trends.

Today in Collector's Corner we meet Grethe Hansen, who's a nutcracker collector.

Jemima's on a bit of a spooky roll with the content she's been listening to. She talks to Jesse about the BBC podcast, Witch and another, also from the BBC, called the Battersea Poltergeist.

 Mel Alafaci is known as the Happy Chef has just released a book on the best way to have a quick, easy and most importantly cost effective Christmas.

The team that works on the Milford Road in Fiordland National Park team who keep the traffic flowing and the tourists happy have been recognised internationally for their efforts.

Australian Michael "Mic" Whitty is aiming to cycle to every Commonwealth War Grave cemetery in the world before VJ Day 2045. He is now in the middle of his New Zealand leg, cycling from Auckland to Christchurch.

They're a national treasure but the origins of the takahe have long been a point of scientific debate.  Dr Nic Rawlence co-authored new research on the birds, he speaks to Jesse.

Professor du Sautoy searches the globe for the best games going and reveals what he considers to be the perfect in his new book, Around the World in 80 Games: A Mathematician Unlocks the Secrets of the Greatest Games.

Brad Foster reports on the release of 148 migrants and refugees in Australian immigration detention centres following a High Court ruling and the government's efforts to re-detain those who are considered high risk to the community. He also details house price gains around the country in 2023, and talks rumours that Australian opening batsman David Warner will retire from test cricket at the end of this summer of cricket.

Today Mt Roskill Grammar Library Manager Catherine Ross has a great list of summer reads for younger people. Today she reviews: For ages 6-10 years: Whetu Toa and the Magician by Steph Matuku For ages 8-12 years, Conrad Cooper's Last Stand by Leonie Agnew For Ages 11/12+ Years Night Vision by Ella West For Ages 13/14+ Years, Better the Blood by Michael Bennett, How to Loiter in a Turf War by Coco Solid, How to Be a Bad Muslim (Non-Fiction) by Mohamed Hassan.

For today's Tech Tuesday we speak to owner and managing director of Vertech IT Services, Dan Watson, about his guide to tech giving this Christmas.

What started as a way to replant native trees on a budget has grown into an impressive array of biodiversity projects at AUT's campus on Auckland's North Shore.  AUT groundsman, Niven Winder speaks to Jesse. 

The challenges of renting into retirement with the increasing cost of living is the subject of a new documentary out today. Last Home Renters follows Rodney Patea, a pensioner based in Coromandel who is still renting.

Jingle Beatz is billed as Aotearoa's very first Afro-Kiwi Christmas concert. It's coming up this Saturday at the Anthology Lounge in Auckland, and it will feature a lineup of six artists performing with a six-piece band.

When rugby legend Sir John Kirwan first released his memoir in 2010 detailing his struggle with mental illness, it was groundbreaking. Now 13 years later, he's updated the book. It's called All Blacks Don't Cry A Story of Hope.

Thinking about a new job in the New Year? CEO of Kinetic Recruitment, Kate Ross, is our expert this week, she's got all the tips and tricks to help you through a job interview, including how to calm your nerves!

After noticing that all the toys and tools their kids were using were of European influence, Dr Johnson Witehira, a Maori Design Specialist, began asking himself why it was, that traditional Maori tools are only seen in museums?

Today Brooks speaks to Jesse about The Bear, The Fall of the House of Usher, For All Mankind and Fargo

It's a wee issue but with a big environmental impact - nitrogen released in the urine of cattle affects nearby water quality. AgResearch senior scientist Brendon Welten speaks to Jesse.

Textiles are everywhere but it's fair to say most of us probably don't know that much about what goes into making them, or in fact disposing of them.Local Wellington artist Genevieve Rae is aiming to change how we look at textiles.

 'Cain's Jaw Bone' is a complex literary puzzle that was originally published in 1934. Now UK-based Kiwi publisher John Mitchinson has brought it back, and it's been a surprise hit.

The week's critter is a native species of spittlebug. Spittlebugs get their common name from the spit-like substance the young bugs create on plants.

Weekend Stuff with Jo McCarroll

Today Kelly Gibney shares two amazing recipes from her latest cook book Enjoy: Food worth sharing with the people you love.

Today Graeme talks to Jesse about The Old Oak and Christmess.

Time for Freaky Friday, one of our favourites times of the week. If you've got a story you'd like shared on air email us or text 2101. Today we've got two Freaky Friday stories to share with you.

 A community-led initiative in Porirua is taking the reigns from politicians and having a crack at offering free dental care themselves. It's been spearheaded by Anita Taggart and Jodi Watene.

Dr Carrie Hayward is a Melbourne based clinical psychologist who specialises in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. She speaks to Jesse.

Today we reveal which groups have been selected for critter funds raised through the sale of our COTW t-shirts. A percentage of sales was put aside to help not for profit groups around the country helping local critters to thrive.

Is this really the "most right-wing government" in recent NZ history? Some commentators have described the new coalition government as the "most right-wing" in NZ for a long time. Is this true? What does "left-wing" and "right-wing" even mean? Today historian Dr Grant Morris looks at these claims and terms in historical context.

Today NZ Herald senior writer Simon Wilson looks at the suggestion to build a gondola network to help ease traffic woes around Aotearoa.

For NZ Sporting history today we look back on the career of Julia Ratcliffe. With the hammer throw as her chosen event she won three Commonwealth Games medals including gold in 2018.

Hamilton uber driver Shelley Winiana doesn't just get people where they want to go, she drops them off with a side of homemade cookies too. The seventy year old took up uber driving five years ago, as a retiree after a career as an office manager for an engineering company. Hamiltons Uber nan, Shelley Winiana, speaks to Jesse.

The Te Horo Kilns are set to open in December, and expected to be a destination spot for artists and visitors alike, on the Kapiti Coast. The historic kilns were formerly known as the Mirek Smíšek kilns, named after their builder the prominent ceramic artist who played a massive role in New Zealands art scene over his lifetime. Jane Manthel is the co-chair of 'The Mirek Smíšek Arts Trust', she speaks to Jesse.

Ngati Kuri iwi in the Far North is celebrating its first wahine master waka builder, Hine Waitai-Dye. Waitai-Dye is well known throughout the waka-building world, having been taught by famed master builder Ta Hekenukumai Busby and has spent years honing her skills all around the world. She speaks to Jesse.

Mohua yellowheads were once common in Aotearoa forests, but bush clearance and introduced predators mean they're now rare in the ngahere. Claire Concannon meets a team of scientists and conservationists keeping an eye on a remnant mohua population at Makarora.

The world is suffering from an epidemic of blindness says New York Times Columnist David Brooks. Social media has divided us and we don't see past what divides us.

Today Alex talks to Jesse about the podcasts Haka Life and The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F**k.

 Bruce James is the principal of Carisbrook School. He's one of a dozen school principals from around Dunedin who have tentatively agreed to take part in a School Principals' Race this Friday. He speaks to Jesse.

The annual New Zealand Firefighters Calendar is back and causing a bit of a fuss! Columnist Verity Johnson speaks to Jesse.

Miranda Smith is the founder of in-home care specialists Miranda Smith Homecare, and she's here with some advice on what to look out for to keep the elderly in our lives happy and healthy over the holidays.

GridFree is a leading advocate for off-grid living in New Zealand. What started as a personal mission for founder Craig Simpson, turned into a bigger mission to make sustainable living more accessible and support others.

Every parent says they want their kids to feel loved, but in the middle of a meltdown or after being told no to lollies at the shops, kids don't always feel the love. Lael Stone is an Australian author, podcaster and parenting educator. She's in New Zealand for workshops about an approach to raising kids that's more about working on the relationship rather than just a set of skills to apply during the rough patches. It's called Connecting Parenting. Stone shares some ideas for helping kids with big feelings, some alternatives to punishment and rewards and how to help children understand that respect is a two way street.

For this week's music feature we look back to 1983 when a special televised concert was held to celebrate Motown's 25th anniversary. Today we reminisce about that iconic concert with Murray Cammick.

Brad Foster reports on new rules around the use and importation of vapes from January 1, perhaps the oldest Australian climate change activist arrested in Newcastle, a new nickname for the Australian PM, and Sydney to get a drenching this week.

Today Dominic talks to Jesse about Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin.

Neuropscyhologist Hannah Korrel returns for her 'Relationships' segment with Jesse.

The 2023 Impact Award winners were announced earlier this month, Amy Klitscher took out the Climate Award for her enterprise the Sustainable Food Company, her catering business with a plant-based, zero-waste approach.

Steve Campbell has been working with youth to develop the next generation of Search and Rescue and Civil Defense emergency practitioners through the YSAR programme. He speaks to Jesse.

An initiative to create an ecological corridor in the Waipa district from Maungatautari to Pirongia is celebrating it's second anniversary today. Project coordinator Bexie Towle speaks to Jesse.

60 years on from the assassination of US President John F Kennedy, and there are still so many questions about that shocking day. Mary Haverstick never set out to look at the killing, but came across compelling evidence.

For this week's expert feature we're talking bees and beekeeping. Everything you ever wanted to know but were afraid to ask - text your beekeeping questions to 2101. Joining us today to share her broad bee knowledge is apiarist Noelani Waters who is a Bee and Nature Advocacy Lead at Comvita the kiwi honey company.

This week on New Zealand Made - we all love a bit of kiwi ingenuity, and that's what our guest today is all about. He saw a need and filled it - literally.

Today Caitlin talks to Jesse about Lupin on Netflix and the Robbie Williams docuseries, also on Netflix.

The Muriwai Deli is just one of many businesses that was affected by Cyclone Gabrielle earlier this year. Cam Steel runs the deli with his brothers, he speaks to Jesse about their reopening.

Dunedin's Centre for Neuroendocrinology turns 20 this year. To celebrate - the centre is hosting three-day symposium to celebrate all things Neuroendocrinology.  CNE Director Professor Rebecca Campbell speaks to Jesse.

Artist Matthew Tucker has always loved numbers and patterns. Matthew lives with a disability and uses a wheelchair, but none of that gets in the way of his creative talent. In fact, His most ambitious artwork to date is now on show for the public to see along Te Ara I Whiti also known as The Lightpath in Auckland until 10 December. Matthew's audio-visual artwork inspired by the constellations the works of Beethoven.

This week's critter is a giant species of nematode (a type of worm) that is longer than a small shipping container and roughly the volume of an oil drum! The giant nematode, Placentonema gigantissima, spends its whole life curled up inside the body of female sperm whales.

Builder Stan Scott's back this week to help you out with any big or small DIY jobs you want to get on to. If you have any questions for him please email jesse@rnz.co.nz or text 2101. We'll get to as many questions as possible while Stan's on the line.

Charlotte Ryan, host of Music 101 here on RNZ each Saturday afternoon from 1pm talks about what's happening on the music scene over the weekend, what's coming up on her show tomorrow and because Friday is new music day - she'll pick us a track to play.

Today Jess Daniel of Jess's Underground Kitchen shares a recipe for a lighter version of the Italian classic tiramisu. She talks to Jesse about making an chocolate and orange desert that you can serve your guests or make ahead and take along to any dinners or festive celebrations. You can find out how to make this dessert here.

This week on NZ Live we meet Ha The Unclear, formerly known as Brown. They have released a string of successful string of albums and EPs under the name Brown.

Today Dom reviews Next Goal Wins and Napoleon.

This week on Freaky Friday we meet Pam from Christchurch who has a story with an eerie coincidence involving her son and his new fiancee. If you have a spooky story to share or an eerie coincidence that sends shivers up your spine, please get in touch. You can text 2101 or email jesse@rnz.co.nz.

In addition to releasing his latest book, The Dead Are Always Laughing At Us, Dominic Hoey has teamed up with fellow poets and authors Liam Jacobson and Isla Huia to present a five date show around the motu.

New Zealand's only commercial aircraft manufacturing company has built a new plane to save lives during natural disasters and fight fires. NZAero CEO Stephen Burrows speaks to Jesse.

The University of Auckland's annual Creative Futures Exhibitions kick off today and are on through to Sunday. The exhibition features work by students graduating in Architecture, Urban Design, Urban Planning, Fine Arts and Design.

After 50 years, the founder of the iconic Auckland fast food shop Ollies has hung up his ice cream scoop. Colin Haines (a Salted Caramel man) chats to Jesse Mulligan about the American-style diner he and his wife Carolyn opened back in 1978.

Today Mary talks to Jesse about which Kiwisaver providers are the best - and worst - at offering various services to their members. She also looks at some of the services that listeners might not be aware you can get from some providers, and naming them.

As of September, Courtney Duncan is a four time Women's Motocross World Champion.

This Saturday November 25 is the 60th anniversary of Dr Who, a show that many listeners will not only have grown up with, but enjoyed the many new incarnations from the earliest Dr Whos, to David Tennant who is the 14th Doctor To celebrate this milestone, and to tell his own quirky Dr Who tale, we speak to Richard Loseby, author and ad-man to the show.

If a sale price is too good to be true, it probably is.

A three person tech team in Dunedin has developed an all-in-one renewable generator. Using both wind and solar energy, PowerCrate aims to solve an energy problem for people on the edges of their grid and in emergency situations. The company was recently named the most innovative trade site at NZ's largest A&P show in Christchurch. Bill Currie is the Chief Technical Officer at Powerhouse Wind speaks to Jesse.

The varroa mite is a destructive parasite affecting honeybees, that requires pesticides to keep numbers low. Kiwi researchers are investigating a new treatment that's better for the bees and the wider environment.

There was a time when Lenore Skenazy was labeled America's Worst Mom for letting her 9 year old ride the subway alone in New York City. We talk to Skenazy about the latest research and how to give kids back the voice they've lost.

Each week we've been talking to collectors around the motu, and today we're in Taranaki to meet Sam Westlake, the founder of Saturday's Taranaki Collectibles Event in New Plymouth. As a keen collector in his own right, when Sam's not working at his day job in the oil and gas industry, Sam is an avid collector.

Today Adam talks to Jesse about Groovy Movies and 60 Songs that Explain the 90s.

The Predator Free New Zealand Trust is celebrating it's 10th birthday this month! To mark their first decade of working towards protecting New Zealand's native wildlife, and looking to the future of caring for backyard biodiversity, Jessi Morgan, CEO of Predator Free New Zealand speaks to Jesse.

Wakatipu-based Bridget Martin has been a volunteer dog handler with NZ Land Search and Rescue for 20 years. She talks to Jesse about Allie-Mae, Zinzan and Bandit.

Senior research fellow at the University of Otago Dr Divya Adhia is working on a new solution, and has just received a $600,000 funding boost she hopes to alleviate long term back pain. Dr Divya talks to Jesse.

This summer keen mountain bikers will have a pristine new trail to ride on the central plateau of the North Island. Thomas Orr's family has been working for five years on this project, the Kaimanawa Descent, which opens soon.

Jesse David Fox says comedy is now a cultural force and an art form. More than entertainment, comedy it connects people and influences politics.

Brad Foster reports on an unlikely candidate for the top job at Optus following the CEO's resignation yesterday and, as we approach summer, how six young trainee lifesavers saved a family on the New South Wales South Coast. He also talks Schoolies and Australia's win in the Cricket World Cup.

Today Claire talks to Jesse about Spoiled Fruit, The Vintner's Luck and The Observologist by Giselle Clarkson, the artist who creates our critter of week t-shirt art.

Today Dan talks to Jesse about Apple agreeing to improve texting between iPhones and Androids. He's also got a list of his favourite tech for Xmas gifts.

It's been a big couple of years for rower Logan Ulrich. The 23 year old graduated from the University of Washington - UW - and in September qualified for the Paris Olympics. He also visited the set of George Clooney's upcoming film.

In just over a week, artists Lissy and Rudi Robinson-Cole will unveil their masterpiece, three years in the making. Their full-size woolen wharenui, called Wharenui Harikoa, has taken 5000 [five-thousand] balls of wool to create. We have pictures on our website so you can see for yourself. The artwork will travel, but for now it is being assembled in Kirikiriroa Hamilton. Lissy speaks to Jesse from there.

The lure of investing in an EV is starting making more financial sense for many motorists as the price of petrol keeps going up and congestion charges for Auckland drivers nearing reality. But there's been some alarming research on the electric and hybrid vehicles around the world, with insurers reconsidering whether they will cover them due to the cost of repairs and the increased fire risk in lithium ion batters. Kevin Norquay from Stuff who has been looking at the potential pit falls of EV ownership and what the overseas experiences could mean for us. Kevin speaks to Jesse.

Linguist, lexicographer, and Oxford professor Sarah Ogilvie discovered the names of the contributors of the very first Oxford Dictionary in a small black book tied with a cream ribbon in the basement of the Oxford University Press.

Our expert guest today is all about about bicycle maintenance, and how to keep your two-wheeler road worthy throughout the year. Josca Craig-Smith from Josca Bicycle Repairs in Mt Albert talks to Jesse.

For the past fifty years a shoe maker in the small seaside town of Raglan has been selling his hand made shoes all over the world. Business has been booming with founder Rob Galloway expanding his range to other leather goods, made by hand from New Zealand leather and other recycled products. Rob speaks to Jesse for Made in NZ this week.

Today Linda talks to Jesse about New Zealand television drama staring Robyn Malcolm, After The Party. She's also been watching The Crown on Netflix and Gone Fishing on TV1.

A Australian Zoologist Linda Reinhold has been studying fluorescence in mammals using road kill. She speaks to Jesse.

Eran Backler's also known as Bubble man, and has just started his tour of Aotearoa showing off his skills with bubbles and giving audiences a chance to enjoy his multi-award winning show.

Australasia will host its first ever cult awareness conference next year. Experts and survivors will meet in Christchurch to highlight how cults work, and the harm they cause. It's called Decult, and is being organised by journalist and author of Cult Trip: Inside the World of Coercion and Control Anke Richter.

The Alexander beetle is a beautiful iridescent green beetle that is only found in Canterbury. It's a fierce predator of critters smaller than itself and has long slender legs which are excellent for chasing down prey. Alexander beetles are attentive parents and don't leave their chambers to feed until all their eggs have hatched.

This week gardening guru Lynda Hallinan talks to Jesse about garden ramble season where private gardeners open up their properties for the public to view. She's off to Paeroa tomorrow for their festival and talks about the many on offer around Aotearoa.

Charlotte Ryan, host of Music 101 here on RNZ each Saturday afternoon from 1pm talks about what's happening on the music scene over the weekend, what's coming up on her show tomorrow and because Friday is new music day - she'll pick us a track to play.

Today Julie Biuso has a delicious, exotic but easy to make recipe from Sicily. She shares how to make Spaghetti Taormina, a fabulous way to make the most of eggplant season coming up.

Today Sam talks to Jesse about Saltburn and Sanctuary.

Time for Freaky Friday, one of our favourites times of the week. If you've got a story you'd like shared on air email us or text 2101. Today we've got two Freaky Friday stories to share with you. Today we have a great story from Susanne and Sandy has a story quite fitting for the week of the Bird of the Century announcement.

Dame Malvina Major is one of New Zealand's foremost opera sopranos and has just gifted her personal archives to Waikato University. Dame Malvina speaks to Jesse.

This summer DOC is encouraging us all to be 'citizen scientists' and to share sightings of protected marine species.  Clinton Duffy is DOC's Marine Technical Advisor. He speaks to Jesse.

The new chief children and young person's commissioner started the job at the beginning of this month and is wasting no time getting down to business by launching a survey asking mokopuna what's important to them.

Dr Grant Morris is currently in South Korea looking at history and law. After two weeks in the country he's got some tips for listeners who may be thinking of a South Korean adventure.

This week on Solving the World's Problems retired Hawke's Bay farmer Steve Wyn-Harris shares his thoughts on his hobby of star gazing.

For NZ Sporting history this week we speak to New Zealand's most successful rally driver, the only New Zealander to win the World Rally Champs with 8 WRC podiums, Hayden Paddon.

Professor Hamish Spencer says mohua, are not only one of our most accomplished vocalists, but visually striking species. Hamish speaks to Jesse.

In the new six-part video series The Turning Point, a new generation of kaitiaki across Aotearoa take on the challenge of protecting and restoring our natural environment. Director Steph Miller speaks to Jesse.

A New Zealand team of scientists and engineers are preparing to test their brand-new superconducting magnet and flux pump design on the International Space Station in 2025. Could this Kiwi tech make plasma rockets more efficient?

 Leaning into anger can boost persistence and performance on the road to overcoming big challenges in a way that happiness just can't according to a new study by Dr Heather Lench.

Our Bookmarks guest today has brought the gift of storytelling, reading and writing to thousands of tamariki in Aotearoa over the past four decades.

Today Ximena talks to Jesse about Empire, a history podcast about how empires rise and fall. And she's also been listening to The Kids of Rutherford County a series that looks at how a Tennessee county was arresting and illegally jailing children for more than a decade.

This week's collector has amassed over 7000 jigsaw puzzles. We meet Gay Devlin in Manawatu to talk about her collection for this week's collector's corner. If you have a collection you'd like share text 2101 or email jesse@rnz.co.nz.

Forget the bird of the century hubbub - the Air Force Museum's got their own competition for 2023, the inaugural Aircraft of the Year competition.

Unbeaten in all nine games of the Cricket World Cup so far India go into tonight's semi-final against the Black Caps. Here in the RNZ office Black Caps fan, Jesse discusses the match with colleague and India fan, Gaurav Sharma.

Te Hokinga Mai: The Return is an eight-part series addressing the urban drift of the last century when Maori were swept away from their kainga and into cities. 

Dr. Rajiv J. Shah doesn't just talk about solving some of the world's biggest problems, he does something about it.  He offers his philosophy in his new book, Big Bets: How Large-Scale Change Really Happens.

Brad Foster reports on the worthy recipients of the NSW Australians of the Year for 2024 announced last night, with co-directors of the Melanoma institute Australia recognised for their work in the field of cancer research. He also talks about the opening of the world's largest Lego store in Sydney over the weekend, cricket, the ARIA music awards, and the Optus outage.

Today Catherine reviews a mix of genres, one crime novel, one memoir and an historical novel. The books are, The Seven by Chris Hammer, A Foragers Life by Helen Lehndorf and The Seasonwife by Saige England.

Neuropscyhologist Hannah Korrel talks to Jesse about grief and why losses in sport and the like can hurt so much.

Back in the early 2000s Nelson music teacher John Phillips was frustrated by the tired old songs being sung in school assemblies. Now that his song is a social media sensation John is now releasing a book version.

Garden to Table is a programme to teach tamariki to grow, harvest and prepare food.  Oropi primary, a rural school near Tauranga has been running the programme for the past 10 years. Heron Rickard is the Garden Specialist there.

There's a new tool available that can now show you not only what your local bio-diveristy used to look like before humans but how to rebuild it. Eco-index project lead Dr Kiri Wallace speaks to Jesse.

New Zealand has a meth problem.  Benedict Collins is a New Zealand political reporter and has covered the P problem for years. He says well-thought-out harm reduction plans in New Zealand have been ignored. 

For our expert feature this week it's all about hearing, more specifically audiology, the branch of medical science dedicated to the study of hearing, balance and their associated disorders. To open our ears to this remarkable sense and science, we speak to Kaushi Ambepitiya who a senior audiologist with Dilworth Hearing, as well as their Auckland group manager.

This week for Made in NZ we speak to Daniel Gudsell about a company making timber products which are verified as carbon negative. He's the managing director and founder of Abodo.

Today Dom talks to Jesse about All Mankind S4 and Monarchy: Legacy of Monsters.

Some local restaurant owners are noticing their bookings coming in earlier than they used to.  Does a changing meal time mean anything for restaurant owners? Jonny Schwass is a restaurateur, chef and caterer in Christchurch. 

A group of Marlborough school children are planning to cross Cook Strait in dinghies this month. Aged between 11 and 15 they're hoping for a weather window to sail 2.3-metre Optimist dinghies and two slightly larger Starlings.

A group of environmentally conscious farmers is setting up a local branch of Farmers Footprint in Aotearoa. Greg Hart's hosting Dr Zach Bush, the founder of Farmers Footprint, to start the movement in here. Dr Bush speaks to Jesse.

The whekau (also known as the laughing owl, hakoke, or korehengi) is one of only two species of owls native to Aotearoa. It's thought to have gone extinct sometime in the early twentieth century as stoats and rats spread throughout mainland Aotearoa.

Lynda Hallinan shares some handy gardening tips as we head into the summer season.

As summer approaches Martin Bosley has a great recipe to make the most of the new fresh vegetables on offer. He's got a simple but super tasty recipe for a vegetable medley that's then mixed with a home made cashew miso-cream.

Today Graeme talks to Jesse about The Marvels, EO and Love in Bright Landscapes.

A firm weekly favourite, Freaky Friday, is back again with spooky tales of coincidence and unexplained encounters!

Fleur is a contemporary fibre artist Fleur Woods and has documented her own journey in a beautiful new book - The Untamed Thread - which explores the creative process and teaches us why it matters to find your creative home.

In New Plymouth the animal control officers have picked up a stray bull - not their usual guest at the pound. No one has claimed the unnamed bull, so this Wednesday it's heading to auction at the Stratford sale yard.

Today marks the start of the five day Hindu festival Diwali. Jesse speaks to his RNZ collegue, journalist Gaurav Sharma to tell us more about the celebration and its meaning.

In Miramar a pair of nesting Karearea - A.K.A New Zealand Falcon - have taken to harassing walkers and their pets on a local trail. In response Wellington council has temporarily closed a section of the Signaller's Grove walkway.

Today Mary has a close look at investing in shares both in Aotearoa and overseas. She's collated some interesting numbers about how the different stocks have fared over the past five decades.

Today on NZ Sporting history we meet Erin Routliffe who's made recent sporting history by becoming the first New Zealander to win a women's grand slam title in 44 years.

Each year young horticulturists from around the country battle it out for the title of 'Young Horticulturist of the Year'. Meryn Whitehead is 2022 winner. She speaks to Jesse.

John Bougen, an Aucklander who made his fortune as co-founder of the 'Dress Smart' chain of shopping malls is now in Reefton giving it a bit of a make over. He speaks to Jesse about his work there.

Since graduating from Otago university in the 90s, agro-ecologist Nicole Masters has become one of the worlds top soil experts.. Now she's preparing to bring her workshops to Aotearoa. Nicole speaks to Jesse.

Meet a musician revitalising Moriori culture through music, including traditional bone flutes brought back to life through modern technology.

Bugs, needles or heights are nothing compared to the fear of public speaking. You can prepare for spontaneity says Matt Abrahams, His book is called, Think Faster, Talk Smarter: How to Speak Successfully When You're Put on the Spot.

Every Wednesday on Afternoons we invite a guest for our collectors corner segment to talk about their amazing collections. This week we meet Wil Wright. He collects, restores and sells film posters.

Today Elliot talks to Jesse about Critics At Large, a new podcast from The New Yorker and Behind the Bastards, a podcast about terrible people and terrible things in history and culture.

Research shows it is the kids who are being driven to school that breathe in in the highest levels of noxious fumes per minute, instead of those walking or cycling next to traffic. New Zealand academic Dr Shanon Lim speaks to Jesse.

Tracking down music rights holders to get the money to the right place can be a challenge, in New Zealand there is a particular challenge with older Maori songs. APRA Head of NZ Operations Anthony Healey speaks to Jesse.

Ryan Carville & his business partner Simon Cooke run Froth Tech in Lowe Hutt, the business supplies yeast to breweries across the country. Ryan Carville speaks to Jesse.

Maori are disproportionately affected by brain tumours. Dr Thomas Park  using AI to scan a huge library of tumours collected from Maori and Pasifika patients to understand why.

For 30 years, the closest Justine and Geoff Ross had come to cows was two cowhide chairs in their Auckland living room. But that didn't stop the couple behind the successful 42 Below vodka business from buying a high country station at Lake Hāwea and embarking on a new way of farming. The station isn't just carbon neutral, it's carbon positive. 

Brad Foster provides an update on the Victorian woman charged with three counts of murder and five of attempted murder relating to the death of three people who ate mushrooms at her house in July this year, gives some tips for the Melbourne Cup on later today, and explains changes to what punters can wear to the "race that stops the nation". He also talks interest rates and rugby league following New Zealand's big win in the Pacific Cup.

Mt Roskill Grammar Library Manager Catherine Ross is our book critic this week with a great list of potential Christmas gifts for younger readers. The books she's talking about are as follows: For ages 10-12, The Polar Bear Explorer's Club by Alex Bell and The Brave by James Bird For ages 11/12+ years, Tins by Alex Shearer and A Kind of Spark by Elle McNicoll For ages 13+ years, The Dead Queen's Club by Hannah Capin and the Art of Taxidermy by Sharon Kernot.

Today Dan Watson, owner and managing director of Vertech IT Services, talks to Jesse about the work from home trend prompting some businesses to use software which can monitor employees productivity when they're not in the office.

A New documentary Every Word Counts sheds a light on the intensity of competitive Scrabble and is out today on The Spinoff. Director and competitive Scrabble player Alexander Gander speaks to Jesse.

Bob Mehrtens is our twelve-time national ploughing champion - and he isn't even a farmer. He's a truck driver with a love of ploughing, and has also been competing in the Ploughing World Championships since 1990. 

The New Zealand curling team adopted by a Canadian retirement home has managed to qualify for the the world championships. Team skipper Anton Hood speaks to Jesse. 

Loneliness is a health issue that must be addressed urgently say the former director and deputy director of The Helen Clark Foundation, Kathy Errington and Dr Holly Walker. They speak to Jesse about their book. 

For this week's expert we're investigating beauty treatments, or appearance medicine, with Botox probably one of the best known treatments. We Dr Dani Waxman from 'Central CosMedic'.

Each week we're talking to a manufacturing company founded in New Zealand making it big globally. This week we talk to Mike Williams of Holsim, a company which makes animal mannequins for vet and vet nursing training.

Today Pratik talks to Jesse about Better Call Saul season 6 and Scavengers Reign.

After 30 years living in France author nature and wildlife artist Desmond Bovey had a strong pull to reconnect with home and the landscapes of his youth. Desmond speaks to Jesse about the book he's created following his move home.

We all like to think we'll be the one to step up in an emergency, Fanni Fazakas has created an award winning narrative experience using extended reality to educate people.

In 2019 the Wellington based Malaghan Institute of Medical Research began trialing a ground breaking treatment, a locally developed CAR T-Cell therapy. Author and comedian David Downs is an ambassador for the trial.

Today (Nov 3) is World Jellyfish Day - a day to celebrate these remarkable sea creatures that have been around for around 500 million years and are older than the dinosaurs! The purple people eater jellyfish (also known as the night-light jellyfish and the mauve stinger) is a little jelly that packs a punch! It has stinging cells all over its body and has been known to wipe out entire fish farms.

This week Liz Carlson, an expert on indoor plants, is with Jesse to talk about how to keep yours alive if you're planning an extended break away from home this summer. If you have any questions for her you can email jesse@rnz.co.nz or text 2101.

Today Gretchen Lowe shares a great recipe for summer to take to a bbq or whip up if you're having guests around. She's got a simple but tasty recipe for home made crackers or lavosh, which you can find here. She's paired that with a delicious, but again easy to make, spread with feta and pistachios which you can find here.

For NZ Live today we're joined by pop-folk band Albi & The Wolves. They've just released their third studio album Light After Dark. They've added strings, horns and drums to their three-piece band for a bigger sound.

Today Dom reviews Loop Track, Bad Behaviour and Cat Person.

A firm weekly favourite, Freaky Friday, is back again with spooky tales of coincidence and unexplained encounters! If you have anything spooky, eerie or oddly coincidental to share with listeners, text 2101 or email jesse@rnz.co.nz.

When homosexuality was illegal the LGBT community came up with their own way of communicating That signalling is the reason the musical ensemble CODES has formed.Tim speaks to Jesse.

The destruction of essential infrastructure in Ukraine means many children don't have access to clean drinking water. . New Zealand water scientist Tara Okan has created a water filter to help children on the front line make clean water.

When most people imagine what it might feel like to have a heart attack, many first think of an intense crushing chest pain.  Programme Manager of Paramedicine at Whitireia, Belinda Westenra speaks to Jesse.

Afternoons resident historian Dr Grant Morris is off to Korea for a couple of weeks and this is part one of two looking at the historical relationship between NZ and Korea. Today he looks back at NZ involvement in the Korean War.

Today Ali talks to Jesse about the insurance debacle for Christchurch home owners trying to settle with companies over their earthquake damaged homes. She advocating for the establishment of an "Insurance Department" as they have done in California.

Well known sports writer Dylan Cleaver joins NZ Sporting History this week to talk about modern NZ cricketing greats. It's the topic of his book, just released, called Modern New Zealand Cricket Greats.

There's been a bit of new movement in the community housing space.Founder and Chief Executive of Community Finance, James Palmer talks to Jesse about the community housing providers and how it works.

Te Putea Rangahau a Marsden has allocated $83.59 million dollars to 123 research projects across Aotearoa New Zealand. Dr Andrea Teng from the Department of Health at the University of Otago is one of the lucky recipients.

How do meteorologists predict what's coming? As we head into an El Niño summer. climate change is making weather forecasting tough.

Life is good for British Malaysian stand up comedian Phil Wang. We talk to Phil Wang ahead of his show in Auckland, Wang In There, Baby!.

For this week's Collectors Corner we meet Martin James, a collector of recipe books from Edwardian, and sometimes, Victorian times. He shares his passion with Jesse and why he's chose Edwardian times to focus on.

This week Evie Ashton shares with Jesse her thoughts on the podcasts she's been listening to.

Roshit Bothara has applied his humble beginnings in Nepal to create opportunities for others in the medical world and been recognised with a number of awards, including the most recent one from Canterbury University.

Almost 300,000 New Zealanders live with diabetes, and for kids who get diagnosed with type one diabetes - new research shows they have poorer educational outcomes. Professor Ben Wheeler speaks to Jesse.

For her second book, Zookeeper Danni Rae's gone very small, in fact tiny! Danni talks to Jesse about Harry the Hermit Crab.

Tomorrow we can look forward to a very exciting local film appearing in cinemas up and down the country. Bad Behaviour is a dark comedy written and directed by Alice Englert.

If you've ever caught yourself before expressing an opinion about politics, good parenting or even your favorite place to eat, you know that. Censoring is humankind's natural inclination says Greg Lukianoff, .

Elisabeth Easther joins Jesse to talk about the books she's been reading lately.

Spring - a time of year when we cast our eyes around, and contemplate overhauling our living spaces - a bit of a clean perhaps, but fore Wellington architect, artist, and furniture maker - Gerard Dombroksi - is all about embracing the silly.

There are around 406 golf courses in New Zealand and young golfer Peter Troake had a dream to play on every single one of them to raise money for Cure Kids.

Our attention spans and emotions are not the only thing impacted by our digital 21st century life and evolution is having a hard time keeping up. Manoush Zamorodi is the host of the TED Radio Hour on NPR.

Today's expert is about a skill all of us should have, but many find hard to perfect. It's knife sharpening. Our expert guest is Hayden Scott, who was a chef for 25 years before getting into the art of making and sharpening knives.

Brad Foster provides an update on the murder of a 21-year-old school teacher in Sydney last week, and news that an individual who was cleared of rape allegations in Parliament House in 2019 has now been named at the person charged with rape in Queensland in October 2021. Bruce Lehrmann has had his bid for his name to be suppressed in this matter rejected. Plus sport and more.

Today Claire in addition to her review, Claire Chitham, talks to Jesse about the sad passing of Matthew Perry. The beloved 'Friends' actor was found dead at his home yesterday. She then talks about Special Ops: Lioness on Amazon Prime, UK thriller series, Bodies on Netflix and a quick mention of Blind Bitter Happiness on RNZ as well as After Party on TVNZ.

The Sargeson Prize. secondary schools division winner this year  was won by Otepoti/Dunedin writer Tunmise Adebowale and her story 'The Catastrophe of Swimming'.

Te Papa curator and ornithologist Colin Miskelly is heading out of the museum and walking the length of Aotearoa to document and count every single bird he sees and hears along the way!

Homegrown singer-songwriter Kaylee Bell has just exploded onto the U.S country music scene. Her song 'Keith' is  sitting at Number 12 on the US Billboard Charts, and has put Kaylee at number 41 on the Emerging Artists Chart.

Summer is on its way and that means our cicadas are crawling their way out of the ground to sing up a storm. Did you know Aotearoa is home to the world's only alpine cicadas? It's the Canterbury scree cicada, Maoricicada mangu mangu,

Today's recipe is straight out of Kelly Gibney's brand new cookbook. To celebrate the book finally being available Kelly shares a fabulous recipe called Everything Soup which is great for using up any left over vegetables.

Today our very own Afternoons producer Sam Hollis talks to Jesse about The Killer, a new film from David Fincher and Stop Making Sense, the iconic concert film by Talking Heads.

A firm weekly favourite, Freaky Friday, is back again with spooky tales of coincidence and unexplained encounters! This week we hear two stories with family connections, both very different. One is about a dress and the other, a hammer!

Kobie Dee is a 25-year-old indigenous Aboriginal Australian rapper, and he's just released a really powerful new single featuring Aotearoa's own Stan Walker.

When Wellington lads Jesse Philips and Cosmo Hawke decided to make their own wine from locally sourced ingredients they soon realised there was a distinct lack of grapes available in the capital.

Like many things in life -there's a big disparity between men and women - even when it comes to reproductive ageing! Researchers at Otago University have just been given a grant to look at whether that gap can be closed.

This week Mary talk to Jesse about getting smarter with Kiwisaver choices and overall trends for funds.

Keith Turner was 21 when he went over for his first European season, and slept in his tent in snow and ice.He won second in the world in 1971. Keith is our guest for NZ Sporting History this week.

Globetrotting Wellington chef Joe McLeod is no stranger to utilising Aotearoas backyard pantry in everyday cooking. He's dedicated his time to preserving this knowledge and also saving money when it comes to the food bill

Author, historian and educator Dr Jane Robertson has written not one, but two fantastic books about the bays of Lyttleton Harbour. Her second one is called Living Between Land & Sea, The Bays of Whakaraupo Lyttelton Harbour.

A group of New Zealand scientists have developed ground-breaking new technology in the shape of portable chambers which measure the methane emissions from cattle. Suzanne Rowe speaks to Jesse.

Late this morning the family of ballet and dancing kaumatua Sir Jon Trimmer confirmed that he had died aged 84 after a battle with cancer. We speak to choreographer Loughlan Prior who had worked closely with Sir Jon.

A collection of 750 different microalgae – or phytoplankton – at the Cawthron Institute offers a treasure trove for researchers seeking new useful compounds. Alison Ballance visits the collection to find out if a plankton burger patty is on the table.

What you are is not the whole story about who you are. Values rather than identity have always been the glue that holds democracies together. Before "woke" became a political slogan, professor Yascha Mounk warned about threats to democracy from dangerous polarization fed by identity politics. His criticism is usually aimed at the right. But he's increasingly concerned about some bad ideas created with good intentions by people mostly on the left that lock in victim mentality and deny that any two groups can truly understand each other. His new book offers a new way to talk about and tackle corrosive identity politics. It's called "The Identity Trap: A Story of Ideas and Power in Our Time."

This week's guest for bookmarks is Akiko Kurematsu, a culture writer and journalist who uses his multicultural and mutlilingual background to work.

Collectors Corner is where we meet passionate people who've taken their fondness for a certain thing to new heights. And today we're talking to Des Barnes about vintage arms. He's got a fascinating stash of historic weapons that date back many centuries.

Today Jemima talks to Jesse about a podcast from The Guardian called Can I Tell You a Secret and After Ayotzinapa by Reveal which covers the case of 43 missing students in Mexico.

Growing up Gretchin Mornin never predicted she'd become a lotus farmer or all things - but that's exactly what she's ended up doing. Gretchen speaks to Jesse about their operation and unique approach to dealing with Pūkekos.

The Kiwi circus trio, Laser Kiwi, have been travelling the world with their act titled "The rise of the olive". Imogen Stone and brothers Zane and Degge Jarvie have recently made appearances at the legendary festivals around the world.

Entries for the BioHeritage National Science Challenge closes later this evening. The competition gave kids young and old the opportunity to make and colour their own paper kanakana in the hopes of winning a variety of prizes.

The Wellington Jazz Festival kicks off today. To mark the occasion, last night APRA AMCOS announced the winner of their 2023 Best Jazz Composition Award. The winner is Louisa Williamson.

Lee and Andrew Child talk about their famous book series.

Today's music feature is all about one of the most famous performers of all time, Elvis Presley. We have our very own RNZ First Up producer Jeremy Parkinson, an Elvis super fan, along to talk through his life and times.

Brad Foster reports on the NSW Government announcing its plans to turn half of a Sydney city golf course into green space for an anticipated growth in residents in the area and celebrations for the Opera House turning 50.

Today Dominic talks to Jesse about the latest work from David Grann, The Wager. This book, like his previous one, Killers of the Flower Moon, has also had the screen rights acquired by Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio.

Today Dan Watson talks to Jesse about a digital detox while he's away on the Spirit of New Zealand ship and water safety tips!

The kingi chopping board is a chef-grade chopping board created using fishing nets and recycled post-consumer packaging. It was devised by Rui Peng, co-founder and CEO of CRITICAL and Tom Hishon, owner and chef at Kingi.

Devonport's special Victoria Theatre is celebrating 111 years this month. To share the rich and long live history of the venue Margot McRae talks to Jesse.

You might find this tiny critter in a kowhai tree near you. The hobbit psyllid takes its scientific name from Frodo Baggins as both are smaller than their relations. It's also found in the South Island where 'Frodo' spent a lot of time filming Peter Jacksons' Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Lynda shares her tips on the best way to get rid of slugs and snails and further pest control in the garden.

Julie Biuso shares her recipe for Asparagus with Crunchy Sourdough Crumbs.

Graeme Tuckett reviews Strange Way Of Life, Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour, and Oink!

It's that time of the week again where we indulge in your strangest and spookiest stories. We've been loving putting Freaky Friday together and we love all the submissions we recieve. If you've got a story to share flick us an email afternoons@rnz.co.nz.

David Cohen has recently returned from Hawaii where he's been on a very special food journey. He developed an interest in regional cuisines when he was working on the RNZ Cookbook, and has come back with a wealth of knowledge on indigenous food as well as some great recipes. 

Smoke inhalation from open-fire cooking is a problem that not many people have to think about in New Zealand, but around the world it affects millions of people every day. A New Zealand fireplace company has created a solution for this problem. Escea is a fireplace company locally owned and operated in Dunedin, and they've designed a flat-packed product called 'Fire For Life'. 

Dr Grant Morris talks to Jesse about the history of government changes in New Zealand.

Dave Armstrong talks to Jesse about solving the worlds problem in the region of Wellington.

Local ultra-marathon swimmer and environmentalist Jono Ridler set off on an audacious mission, to swim from Karaka Bay on Aotea, Great Barrier Island, all the way to Campbells Bay on Auckland's North Shore, a distance of 99.1km according to Jono's tracker. It was a record-breaking non-stop ultra-distance open water swim, blowing the previous New Zealand record of 80.8km out of the water, which was a double-crossing of Lake Taupo.

Rehe Kōrero are the 2023 National Grand Slam Champions of WORD - The Front Line, Aotearoa's premier inter-high school spoken word poetry competition run by Action Education in collaboration with YouthLine. They are gearing up to represent New Zealand in the trans-tasman competition. 

Bacteria and viruses are very different, but what about when they interact? Phage biocontrols are viruses that attack specific bacteria in an organism. Dr Heather Hendrikson talks to Jesse about trialling sustainable biocontrol's for food industry.

John Beeching is one of the last surviving veterans of RAF Bomber Command in WWII, and he celebrates his 100th birthday today. He had an early morning visit from the Nelson Mayor, been to work for a morning tea, and has many cards to open. 

In braided rivers, shifting gravel and weaving water channels make for a complex and dynamic environment. But it's a habitat some species have adapted to – native fish like kōaro, and unique birds like the wrybill. Claire Concannon joins a researcher studying the intricate web of life on one Canterbury braided river.

Failure happens. It's not a glitch, but an inevitable part of life. But most of us fail to learn from failure, letting fear and shame get in the way says Harvard Business School professor Amy Edmondson. She shares groundbreaking research about the different types of failure and how coming up short reminds us that we are human and fallible. Reframing our missteps can lead to important discoveries and improvement rather than something to beat ourselves up about. Her new book is called Right Kind of Wrong: The Science of Failing Well.

Collectors' Corner is where we meet passionate people who've taken their fondness for a certain thing to new heights. So far, we've had vintage tools, vintage bottles, antique sewing machines, and clothing. And today we have a collector whose chosen curio is certainly easier to store than those previous treasures - because Stanley Fraser collects postcards.

Elliott Childs joins Jesse to review two in depth podcasts: The Treatment and The New Yorker Radio Hour.

As he works on his 11th book, Kiwi tramping guru Shaun Barnett is facing the toughest challenge of his life - stage four brain cancer. He talks to Jesse Mulligan about his passion for the outdoors and the focus and gratitude the recent diagnosis has brought him.

We go back and forth, can New Zealand claim the pavlova, or Australia But when we all gather round a pavlova at Christmas, there's a collective understanding that it's a dessert that holds a special place in our hearts. Everyone has a pavlova tale to tell, and that's the idea behind a yet-to-be released book called Pav Deconstructed Kathy Derrick from Pavlova Press talks to Jesse about the book and what it's like to be a small independent publisher.

Championed as more efficient and energy saving, LED lights have been steadily lighting up our world. They're in our screens, homes and supermarkets and increasingly in our outdoor environment - flashing on billboards, road signs and even car headlights. For some people that's making life a misery. In some countries there are even campaigns to ban blinding LEDs. Kat McAra is one of those badly affected by LED light pollution and she talks to Jesse about what it's like.

It's an animal which is both loved and loathed - depending on which side of the Tasman you live on. After a five year long study, an international group of researchers led by the University of Otago, has mapped the entire genetic code of the brushtail possum. They say it could help with both predator control here in Aotearoa and conservation programmes in Australia, where possums are a native, nationally protected species. The secret it seems lies in the smell of its urine. Jesse talks to Study lead - Associate Professor Tim Hore, of Otago's Department of Anatomy.

To be resilient in the face of change, we need to hold on to our core values while cultivating adaptability, says writer and human performance expert Brad Stulberg. He speaks to Jesse Mulligan about his new book Master of Change.

Brad talks to Jesse about the Voice referendum, big and scary kangaroos, and the other current events in Australia.

Claire Maybe reviews Lapvona by Otessa Moshfegh; Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder; Articulations by Henrietta Bollinger.

Today Hannah talks to Jesse about the increased visibility of neurodivergence on TikTok and social media and if the trend is real.

After decades of collecting te reo Māori words for sports terms, sports commentator Hemana Waaka discovered he'd come up with something like an encyclopedia. The 77-year-old is sharing his knowledge via the new Māori sports dictionary app Ipurangi Pāmamao.

Where did the term 'smash burger' come from? What makes an authentic cheese burger? How did burgers become America's favourite food? Cam Blanchard has spent years researching the origins of the burger and shares his knowledge with Jesse.

A beautiful wedding dress lent to a friend accidentally ended up in the op shop pile. The hunt is now on throughout Aotearoa for Donna McQuaid's treasured possession. She shares her story with Jesse in the hopes a listener might be able to reunite her with the dress.

Build it and they will come. Silicon Valley unleashed the technology that gives anyone the chance to be famous on social media platforms, and content creators accepted the challenge. They are revolutionizing the entertainment industry, disrupting legacy institutions, empowering marginalized communities and demolishing modern capitalism itself according to Taylor Lorenz. She's the tech columnist for the Washington Post. Her new book is about the rise of social media from the user's side and how their content is shaping platforms like TikTok and Instagram and while shaping us too. The book is called Extremely Online: The Untold Story of Fame, Influence, and Power on the Internet, Taylor Lorenz talks to Jesse.

It's time for our expert feature, and today we are headed to Hamilton to talk to Quantity Surveyor Martin Bisset. He tells Jesse about the things to consider when pricing up projects, where people tend to go wrong, and answers your questions about quantity surveying.

Caitlin Cherry reviews the new Beckham documentary series, and The Lincoln Lawyer season two. Both can be found on Netflix.

Clive Taylor's place in Raumati Beach is quite easy to find. You'll know it from the mock 1950s gas station he's installed out the front, complete with original Shell, BP and Big Tree signage, oil cans and petrol pumps. In the huge workshop behind you might spot one of his Fords. Then there's the traditional red '50s milk bar - complete with mannequins, the saloon, a Coke vending machine, Elvis posters and hundreds of items of 50s memorabilia that the house. The locals called it Taylorville. Jesse talks to Clive about what it means to put it all up for sale.

Flowers are blossoming all over the place at the moment, but there are still areas that are just a bit... dull. Seed bombs have been taking off online at the moment, a fun thing to do with kids, but just as fun for adults too. They can be lobbed over fences on abandoned land, down gullies, or up on banks that are too hard to access to plant a garden on. They're a great gift too, and Jesse talks to gardening writer Jane Wrigglesworth on how to make them.

When it comes to water, everybody knows when things go wrong, but there's a lot that goes on behind the scenes to keep things flowing. Gisborne District Council healthy living team leader Judith Robertson has had the tough job of ensuring a safe supply of water to Gisborne since the main water treatment plant was cut off after Cyclone Gabrielle. They've been relying on the local Waipaoa plant, which draws from a silt-laden river, and then undergoes a dramatic transformation before it reaches the tap. But the Waipaoa plant, which was only ever meant to be a back-up, won't meet the water demands of a horticultural area in high summer.

The vampire squid (Vampyroteuthis infernalis) might sound scary, but it's more like a soft-bodied floating Christmas tree than a blood-sucking creature of the night. This deep-sea creature has some out-of-the-box defensive strategies: it shoots a cloud of glowing mucus to disarm its predators and tries to camouflage itself by turning itself into a pineapple. Nicola Toki joins Jesse to teach us about this not-so terrifying creature.

Have you got chores that have been itching at you for a while? Stan Scott is back to share all his DIY tips for your weekend projects.

Today Sarah Tuck shares a recipe she claims to be "the best thing in the universe with a strong cup of tea on an Autumn afternoon". You can find the full recipe for her Date Mini Loaves here.

Today on NZ Live Jesse is joined by a couple of Kiwi DJs who it's fair to say have hit the big big time. Sweet Mix Kids - aka Chris Scott and Sandon Ihaia - have played top festivals like Coachella and supported stars like Adele, Ed Sheeran and Coldplay. Now they're back home in Aotearoa touring their second album 'Stargazing' - a mix of disco, funk, rap, soul and electronic dance music featuring a lineup of guest artists. Released last year to vinyl and CD only, it spent four weeks in the NZ Top 20. Now it's about to launch on streaming services.

Kate Rodger joins Jesse to discuss the latest Martin Scorsese epic 'Killers of the Flower Moon' and Netflix's 'Fair Play'.

Kate Rodger joins Jesse to discuss the latest Martin Scorsese epic 'Killers of the Flower Moon' and Netflix's 'Fair Play'.

Freaky Friday is a weekly segment where we indulge in some of your strangest and spookiest stories. Today we hear from Sandi, who shares a tragic story that wound up giving hope, and Jess, who had some strange experiences when restoring an old farm stay.

When a cat called Harry arrived at the Dunedin SPCA, he tipped the scales at 11.72 kilograms. That's nearly three times the weight that he should have been. But our next guest says that although people want to spoil their pets - and find fat cats very cute - they're shortening their lives. Our pets are getting bigger in New Zealand. A study by the SPCA's science team found that more than one in five cats are overweight or obese. Dr Alison Vaughan is the SPCA's Scientific Officer. She joins Jesse to break down this issue.

While nearly half of us will experience a diagnosable mental illness at some point in our lives, only two percent of characters in top box-office grossing films are portrayed that way. A new film festival is setting out to change that, showing that mental health challenges are part of the human experience. The Aotearoa Mental Health Film Festival will kick off in Auckland on the 16th of November and tour selected theatres in Hamilton, Tauranga, Hawkes Bay, Wellington and Christchurch. Nine films have been selected, among them is a film called 'Te Reo Rangatira - Maizy Metekingi', directed by Brandon Te Moananui. Brandon joins Jesse today.

Yesterday we looked at the issue of university cuts - and how Victoria and Otago universities are working together to save their language courses. Today, we're looking at a change proposal out of Massey University which would see science programmes cut from its Albany campus in Auckland. Students are gutted by the plan and are calling on Massey to reconsider. James Roberts is a post-graduate biology student studying invertebrate conservation. Katipo spiders are a big part of his research, and he says the cuts could put key conservation projects at risk. James speak with Jesse today.

This week Mary Holm is back to talk about the pros and cons of being either a regular or casual investor.

Joseph Romanos is an award-winning sports journalist and commentor. He is also the author of numerous New Zealand sports books, on everyone from tennis player Chris Lewis to cricketer Martin Crowe. In fact, we counted 50 titles that Joseph had either written, co-written, edited or collaborated on, which is a staggering achievement in itself. Today, Joseph joins Jesse to reflect on a great moment in Kiwi sport, when Lance Cairns smashed six sixes at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in 1983.

A long drop has gone on display at the Dannevirke Gallery of History. The president, Murray Holden, says the long drop is part of our New Zealand psyche - it goes a long way back and a long way down. Murray's here today to tell us the full story.

Under the Radar has teamed up with Yeehawtheboys cartoonist and musician Daniel Vernon to give music fans a totally new way to enagage with artists. It's called 'Down Under & UnderTheRadar', and it's a comics-music-journalism series that illustrates various artists experiences, whether that experience is of a recent tour, creating a new song, or overcoming a personal challenge. Four "episodes" have been released so far on the website featuring the likes of Beastwars, Fazerdaze, and Hans Pucket. Hans Pucket singer and guitarist Oliver Devlin worked with Daniel on their comic, and he joins Jesse today.

In the face of huge budget deficits, Victoria and Otago Universities are working together to save their language courses. It's a potential solution for languages that were on track to be disestablished at the end of this year, and can now continue through a collaborative teaching model. Professor Nic Smith is the Vice-Chancellor at Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington, and he joins Jesse today.

How did penguins go from flying in the air, to 'flying' underwater? Claire Concannon speaks to a palaeontologist to learn about penguin evolution across 62 million years and the extinct giant penguin fossils found here in New Zealand.

Generational and cultural changes mean that parenting adult children today is very different to any time before, says psychology professor Lawrence Steinberg. "It's uncharted territory and filled with a lot of uncertainty. And I think that creates uncomfortable emotions for both the parents and the kids," he tells Jesse Mulligan.

A recent addition to the weekly Afternoons roster, Collectors Corner sees Jesse speak to our listeners about their quirky collections. If you're a collector and would like to tell us about the things on your shelves, email us. Today, Jesse speaks to Faye, a collector of vintage sewing machines and other gear.

Alex Barnes shares his thoughts on two podcasts today: 'Everyday Maori' and 'No such thing as a fish'.

Two years ago, Dr Tom Mulholland spoke to RNZ about the "massive hole" he'd seen left in the lives of family and friends when a person dies suddenly. This week, his own loved ones are mourning the sudden loss of the emergency doctor and mental health advocate at 61. Mulholland – known affectionately as 'Dr Tom' – was a warm, generous person who spent his time focused on the wellbeing of others, says his friend Sam Hazeldine.

In parts of Aotearoa you can see rocks left over from when Zealandia and Gondwana separated around 100 to 60 million years ago. Zealandia - Te Riu-a-Maui - is right underneath us, and was the last continent to be discovered. It's now the first to be mapped all the way out to its watery edges. 95 per cent of Zealandia is underwater. In 2017, GNS scientists outlined the continent and have just finished filling in the blanks. Dr Nick Mortimer is a geologist at the Dunedin GNS office and the lead author of a new study on North Zealandia. He speaks to Jesse.

Using old e-scooter batteries and artificial intelligence, a Christchurch-based charity and company is developing technology to target possums, stoats, rats and other pests. Shaun Ryan is the managing director of 2040 limited, with a PhD in AI. He joins Jesse to discuss their latest innovation.

Working out of the charming hamlet of Greytown, illustrator, comic artist and author Giselle Clarkson is best known for her non-fiction comics on conservation and the environment. She's lent her illustrating talents to best-selling books like the illustrated cook book 'Egg and Spoon', School Journals and NZ Geographic. Her latest is 'The Observologist - A handbook for mounting very small scientific expeditions'. She joins Jesse to discuss her intentions for the book.

Last month a petition was presented to Auckland Council in a plea to stop the sale of the Downtown Carpark on Fanshawe and Lower Hobson Street. The building has more than 1900 spaces and petitioners say it is relied on for convenient and reasonably priced parking for access to the Auckland Civic Centre. As of this afternoon they've gathered 8386 signatures. Yesterday it was revealed the sale was likely to proceed, with the council saying backing out would undermine the council's reputation in the development sector. The organiser of the petition Shery Gartner talks to Jesse.

Jesse shares listeners' vegetable tips for better cooking.

Before 'X Factor' or 'Idol' there was 'PopStars'; a New Zealand-created reality TV show searching for the next Spice Girls. Bardot was born in 2000 with five women in Australia chosen from more than 2500 who tried out. Being in Bardot was everything Belinda Chapple had ever dreamed of; screaming fans, travelling the world, meeting rockstars like Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood from the Rolling Stones. But after two years, Bardot suddenly ended under mysterious circumstances. 23 years later, Bardot member Belinda Chapple is sharing the story she always wanted to tell, about exploitation, the price of fame and what happens when your dream becomes a nightmare. She discusses her book 'The Girl in the Band' today.

Brad Foster joins Jesse to discuss the South by Southwest spinoff event coming to Sydney, the Wallabies exiting the Rugby World Cup and more.

Writer and book critic Catherine Roberston intriduces us to three new books today: 'Emergency Weather' by Tim Jones, 'Secrets of the Land' by Kate Mahony and 'Tarquin the Honest: Ocian's Elven' by Gareth Ward.

Today, Dan Watson joins Jesse to break down adblocker browser extensions and discuss the importance of 'RTFM'.

Reports of bed bugs have increased in Paris with the influx of visitors for Fashion Week and the Rugby World Cup. France has closed seven schools in response to the infestation. They've even been spotted on the Paris metro and the Charles De Gaulle airport. With the Paris Olympics looming - how can these bugs be tackled? For an explanation, Jesse talks to Nelson pest controller Shane Warland.

Aotearoa's red admiral butterfly used to be common, but now they're struggling, especially up north. They live on one of our most poisonous plants, which is often eradicated in urban areas. The Moths and Butterflies of New Zealand Trust is on a mission to boost their numbers. Founding Trustee Jacqui Knight is with Jesse today.

Authors have been shocked to find out their books are being used to train AI. Alex Reisner, an American journalist with the Atlantic, acquired a data set of nearly 200,000 books known as "Book3", which contained pirated texts. The data is being used without permission by the likes of Meta and Bloomberg to program their generative AI. To discuss, Jesse is joined by author, chef and molecular biologist Nik Sharma.

Modern kids are getting caught up in the "grind culture" of the adult world and not developing a sense of inherent self-worth, says American journalist Jennifer Berhenti Wallace.

Sharks are some of the oldest species on the planet, and some of the most misrepresented in mainstream media. Andrew Stewart has dedicated his life to learning about and protecting sharks and other sea life. He's spent 41 years at the Museum of New Zealand, Te Papa Tongarewa, where he's the curator of natural history, and is known as their shark expert. He's the co-author of landmark encyclopedia 'The Fishes of New Zealand', which came out in 2015. Most recently he's been involved in a new kids' book, 'Mango: Sharks and Rays of Aotearoa', which comes out later this week. He joins Jesse today.

'Proud Parents' is a weekly segment where we invite you to fill us in on the awesome things your kids are doing out in the world. Today, Jesse speaks to Deb about her son Oliver, a professional sports cameraman.

Linda Burgess reviews 'Murder of Jill Dando', 'The Following Events are Based on a Pack of Lies' and 'Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones'.

Down the corridor of one of Dunedin's oldest buildings is a collection of 14,000 books housed in one of New Zealand's last athenaeums still being used for its original purpose. Dunedin Athenaeum and Mechanics' Institute librarian Christine Powley says not many people know about it - even locals. The library is open to the public, and recently held an open day as part of the Ōtepoti Dunedin Heritage Trust festival, which is on until the 29th of October. Christine joins Jesse today.

Celebrity chef and activist Robert Oliver is on a mission to revitalise Pacific food by showcasing local cuisine knowledge. Season three of his reality show 'Pacific Food Revolution' launched on TV1 over the weekend. New this season is Bertrand Jang, a Fijian chef who owns Sweet and Me in Onehunga, who has joined Robert as co-host. He speaks to Jesse about the role today.

The vagrant spiders are unique to Aotearoa. They are big and hairy, and they like to roam around in search of a meal. When they're not wandering around at night in native forests or suburban gardens, they hunker down under logs or stones. Ellen Rykers joins Jesse to tell us all about this fascinating creature.

Gardening with Lynda Hallinan

This week we catch up with Kitty Williams who we first met during one of the COVID 19 many lockdowns! Her claim to fame during that time was her recipe for sweet chilli, ham and cream cheese scrolls going viral. She's now branched out to publishing her own cook book called Kitty's Kitchen. She joins Jesse to talk about the book and share a tasty recipe for sticky fried chicken burgers.

RNZ producer and film critic Sam Hollis chats to Jesse about two new flicks, 'Anatomy of a Fall' and 'How to Blow Up a Pipeline'.

Freaky Friday is a weekly segment where we indulge in some of your strangest and spookiest stories. Today we hear from Kate, who tells a tale about a stray cat that wound up saving a life, and Lesley, who tells us about some strange happenings in her old London home.

Earlier this year we spoke to a Kapiti College student who was one of a handul of Kiwi teenagers selected to appear in a Korean reality TV show. The show is called 'After School: School Trip', and the idea is to take a bunch of international students from one country and see how they react to Korean culture. When we first spoke to Aroa Al Masri she was about to pack her bags. She's since returned from Korea, so Jesse catches up with her today.

Earlier this week we spoke to Dunedin vet Dr Helen Beattie about giving away surplus produce from her garden to people in her community. We then heard from a Gisborne resident with a similar story. Susie Lees is a retiree with a firm focus on giving back to community. She grew so much produce in her home garden last year that she ended up donating 500kg to the Gizzy Kai rescue. Susie joins Jesse today.

An exhibition on hang gliding is in the works, set to open in Wellington early next month as paragliders and hang gliders celebrate 50 years since the sport was introduced to New Zealand. A celebration event is scheduled at the Beehive on the 11th of November. Grant Firth, a member of the organising committee, talks to Jesse.

New Zealand is lucky to have many film festivals to attend. But has this always been the case? Today Dr Grant Morris explores the history of film festivals in New Zealand.

New Zealand Herald senior writer Simon Wilson joins Jesse to reflect on Wayne Brown's first year in office.

It was only 28 years ago that World Rugby made the decision that changed the face of rugby in this country - allowing rugby union players to be paid, turning the sport professional. Before then, rugby union was considered a strictly amateur sport. Sports broadcaster Keith Quinn is one of the longest serving sports broadcasters in New Zealand and is known as the voice of All Black test rugby. He's covered every Rugby World Cup since they began and also fit 10 Olympic Games, 10 Commonwealth Games and three Paralympics into the mix. Keith joins Jesse today.

A bellbird sighting in Hamilton's Mangakotukutuku Gully is a hopeful sign that efforts to restore native vegetation is working.

Georgia Waddington wants to change the face of beauty pageants. The recently crowned Miss New Zealand is about to board a plane to Japan where she'll compete for the title of Miss International 2023. Georgia joins Jesse to discuss her experience and the reality of beauty pageants.

23 years on from the release of their number one debut album 'Silencer', ZED have announced they are coming back together. Their hits became synonymous with Kiwi radio, but after just four years and two albums they decided to call it a day. They've played a few reunion shows over the years, but this time they're announcing a nationwide tour and new music are on the way. Frontman Nathan King and guitarist Andy Lynch join Jesse.

Cerebral palsy is the most common cause of physical disability in children in Aotearoa. We meet a scientist researching how muscle symptoms progress in children with cerebral palsy, hoping to find some clues that might help.

Sometimes, real stories about bravery, betrayal and ultimately love are more dramatic than that can be conjured in the imagination. Doug Gold, the co-founder of the More FM radio network, has a knack for finding these stories. Sometimes they find him. His latest book is about a Kiwi soldier in Crete who escaped a speeding train on its way to a German prisoner of war camp. He was helped by a young dressmaker in the Greek resistance during the Second World War. Peter Blunden loved her, but never told her. Gold's new book tells the story of what happened when the war ended and a resistance heroine followed her heart to New Zealand. It's called 'The Dressmaker & the Hidden Solider.'

Refugee and human rights lawyer Deborah Manning was 27 years old when she took on the state as co-counsel for Ahmed Zaoui, a former Algerian MP who came to New Zealand as a refugee in 2003. After four-and-half long years and three successful court appeals, Zaoui was allowed to stay in New Zealand. This case was highly publicised and polarising, and an intense journey for Deborah. Today she looks back at the things that helped her get through.

Podcast critic Evie Ashton discusses 'Hooked on Freddie' and the New York Times' 'Sunday Read' podcasts.

Auckland-based company Dirty International is turning what would be wasted olive brine into something tasty. But what are the uses for brine? Co-founder Jodi Litherland is here to tell us.

In 2021 Harry Boorman attempted to break the record for the most New Zealand bird species seen in one calendar year. Jesse spoke to Harry at the time, stating his intention to publish a book about the experience. Now that 'A Year of Birds' has arrived, he returns.

On Sunday the 29th of October, Fashion for Charity will showcase the work of emerging designers in the name of a good cause. It is the brainchild of designer Talosia Haulangi, who has catered the events to support charities that hold personal significance to him. Where the inaugural event supported the Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand, this time around profits will go towards the Breast Cancer Foundation. Talosia joins Jesse for a chat.

Could we have an economy of enough instead of a growth economy? Earlier this year, members of the European Parliament held a 'Beyond Growth' Conference in Belguim. Last month, Aotearoa had its own version. Environmental historian and author of 'Beyond Manapouri: 50 years of Environmental Politics in New Zealand' Dr Catherine Knight is asking us to reconsider what our financial system looks like. She joins Jesse today.

They're called tradwives, women who choose to stay home, focus on their families and housekeeping, and agree to be subservient to their husbands. They're part of an influential online community who say they reject feminism and embrace femininity instead. Fascinated by these women, Sophia Sykes decided to leave her budding marketing career to write a thesis about tradwives at Massey University. It's finally done and it reveals a world of Instagram influencing that sometimes pushes right-wing ideology. Today Jesse talks to Sophia Sykes and her thesis supervisor Dr Veronica Hopner.

Carole King has been inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice. She co-wrote 118 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 and her 1971 album 'Tapestry' topped the charts for 15 weeks on release. It stayed on the charts for six more years. To tell us why King's music resonates today, Jesse is joined by singer, actor, teacher and performer Ali Harper. Ali knows her music well, having written and toured a show called 'A Natural Woman,' in which she performs King's music

With pre-polling booths now open for the Australian referendum on the Indigenous Voice to Parliament, Brad Foster provides an update on how people will be voting. He and Jesse also talk film funding, car racing and "bad" barbers.

The Dry Heart by Natalia Ginzberg Ginzberg was an Italian writer who died in 1991 and in the past few years her books have been translated and reprinted and finding a whole new audience. The Dry Heart was first published in 1947 and is a very short novel about a women who shoots her husband. It's incredibly moving, and brutal but told with her astonishing style - very clear writing, minimal description, just movement and action. Dazzlehands by Sacha Cotter and Josh Morgan, Skellig by David Almond

Today Hannah talks to Jesse about the end-of-year scares and offers tips for ending 2023 with a bang.

A Dunedin vet has filled her backyard with planter boxes and is putting surplus produce in a stall outside her gate for others to take home. Dr Helen Beattie posted in her local community page asking if people would be interested in veggies from her garden and, based on the overwhelming response, has planted excess. As well as being a vet, Helen runs a charity called Animal Welfare Aotearoa and earlier this year teamed up with advocates to deliver a petition calling for a National Food Strategy. 

Auckland Council has just bought 1.6 hectares of land bordering the Auckland Botanic Gardens to extend the park, at a cost of over $12 million dollars. The land was originally marketed to property developers, but the council said it needed to act to protect the park for future generations. Jack Hobbs is the manager of the Auckland Botanic Gardens and the Auckland Domain. 

Professor Philip Bagshaw, along with his wife Dame Sue Bagshaw and a dozen or so other leading health academics and clinicians from around Aotearoa, have penned an open letter to a group of self-identified prosperous Kiwis. In it they seek support for one key action they believe could turn our ailing health system around and make genuine improvements to the health of all people in Aotearoa. 

There was a time when climate change denial was one of the biggest threats to our planet, but now we've traded denial for feeling doomed, says renowned climate scientist Professor Michael Mann. He argues that for real action to occur we must put despair to one side. You can read all about this perspective in his new book 'Our Fragile Moment: How Lessons from Earth's Past Can Help Us Survive the Climate Crisis.'

Elegant, durable, flexible and sustainable, leather has been in use for an estimated 7000 years. Today's expert is Geoff Holmes of LASRA, The Leather and Shoe Research Association of New Zealand.

Brooks Alexander reviews Only Murders in the Building, The Rehearsal, One Piece and Winning Time.

On October 5th 2011, the container ship MV Rena struck Otaiti, the Astrolabe Reef in the Bay of Plenty and began spilling 1700 tonnes of heavy fuel oil and container debris on the beach. Local documentary filmmakers Anton Steel and Rosalie Liddle-Crawford have created a record of the community response in the face of New Zealand's largest pollution disaster. 'Taking Back Our Beach' opens this week at the United Bayfair cinema in Mount Maunganui, 12 years to the day since the disaster. 

Rebecca Fawkner worked at New Plymouth's Govett-Brewster Art Gallery, home of the Len Lye Centre, for 20 years. Her passion for sparking curiosity and creativity in young people has led to the release of her new book 'Ziggle - 65 WAYS TO BE AN ARTIST THROUGH THE WORLD OF LEN LYE.' 

The Southern Hemisphere's only official astronaut is in Aotearoa looking at emerging technology to transfer energy wirelessly, even from space! This pioneering technology is being developed by Auckland based-company EMROD. Astronaut and Sao Paulo Senator Marcos Pontes is Brazil's former Minister for Science Technology, Innovations and Communications. He is also an engineer and joined NASA in 1998.

The spiky leaves and flowers of taramea or golden speargrass are famous for their power to draw blood (even through gaiters!). But if you can get past the spike, you'll encounter one of the most sought-after scents in Aotearoa. Taramea perfume is highly prized by Ngai Tahu and was once used to trade for pounamu, food and as gifts between Rangatira.

Stan has all your DIY tips for this weekend!

Today Gretchen Lowe shares a lovely summery recipe to share with friends and family. She tells Jesse how to make her fish tacos with a distinctly Jamaican twist.

Today Ann and Pamela share their Freaky Friday stories. Ann shares the most unbelievably lucky story that makes us question whether it can really just be 'luck', and Pamela shares a spooky story about the windmill farm cottage in Mount Eden. Send your Freaky Friday stories to jesse@rnz.co.nz

It's a superfood that costs nothing, grows freely, and requires zero maintenance - it almost sounds too good to be true. Seaweed is one of Aotearoa's most plentiful resources, so why are we overlooking it in our diets? Nutritionist and naturopath, Rebecca Gouldhurst spoke to Jesse about her new book 'The Seaweed Forager'.

For the many women recovering post breast cancer surgery, it can be both an emotionally distressing time as well as a physically uncomfortable one. Lucy Grunfeld is a young industrial designer turned entrepreneur whose invention Bra+ve is designed to alleviate some of the challenges faced post-op. Lucy was one of entrepreneurs acknowledged last night at the 11th annual KiwiNet Research Commercialisation Awards held in Auckland. The awards celebrate individuals transforming research into impactful innovations for the world. Lucy tells Jesse about her story and her invention.

Just over a year ago the Supreme Court quashed Peter Ellis' convictions - the first time this has ever been done posthumously in New Zealand. One of the biggest podcasts to come out of New Zealand, Conviction launches today. It's taken 5 years to put together and includes some of the last interviews Peter would ever do, and interviews people who have never spoken out before. It's an in-depth look at this complex and divisive case that tries to give a fair voice to all involved, all those who have suffered over the years. Stephen Ferguson was the prison chaplain and then close friend to Peter Ellis and was key in getting Peter to speak on the podcast.

This week Mary Holm is back to talk about ways to boost your savings. It's insights she included in her book Rich Enough. She recommends setting goals that are SMART: specific, measurable, achievable (w)ritten and time-bound. She also talks about having small rewards when you reach milestones.

This week Mary Holm is back to talk about ways to boost your savings. It's insights she included in her book Rich Enough. She recommends setting goals that are SMART: specific, measurable, achievable (w)ritten and time-bound. She also talks about having small rewards when you reach milestones.

Colin reviews It Must Change by Anohni, and Wait Till You See Him by Ella Fitzgerald remixed by De-Phazz.

This is a first, today we have a violin in studio that is probably worth more than the entire Auckland RNZ building. We even had a security contingent. It's a 1731 'Baltic' Guarneri 'del Gesù' violin previously sold for just under USD$10m accompanied by multi-platinum award winning violin superstar David Garrett. 

Imagine blooming your own hybrid plant and knowing you were the first person ever to see that flower. Orchids are one of those flowers where people really can play with hybrids, although it is notoriously hard to create a 'black orchid'. 

Around a year ago, we interviewed the founded of Palmerston North company BioLumic. They're increasing the yield and productivity of crops with light treatments. At our current rate, many crops won't be able to keep up with feeding the planet. 

Southern New Zealand dotterels are one of Aotearoa's most endangered birds, but we don't know where most of them go to breed. Claire Concannon meets a research team tagging the wader birds to uncover their secret breeding site.

The seven deadly sins, you know the list: pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, and sloth. They aren't so much biblical as they are patriarchal, holding women to impossible standards in order to be considered "good" says Elise Loehnen. The constant pressure to 'be good" has very bad consequences for women. Loehnen is a writer, host of the podcast Pulling the Thread and spent seven years immersed in the wellness industry as the chief content officer at Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop company. She shares her own experience, balancing the light and dark sides of life and prioritizing wholeness over wellness in her book, Our Best Behavior: The Seven Deadly Sins and the Price Women Pay to Be Good.

Glenn Cockroft lives in Otatara, an outer suburb of Aotearoa's southernmost city. In this charming Invercargill outpost, you'll find Glenn's significant collection of Ministry of Transport memorabilia. Jesse talks to Glenn all about this unusual and fascinating collection.

Podcast Critic Ximena Smith reviews BBC podcast Vishal and comedy fiction podcast series Conference Call.

Swiftposium is an academic conference on Taylor Swift happening in Melbourne next year. The Swiftposium aims to discuss the implications of Swift's impact on a range of issues including gender, the economy, mental health, and the law. Rebecca Trelease is a Senior Communication Studies lecturer at Auckland University of Technology, and she explains to Jesse why there's so much more to be learnt from a Taylor Swift song than what meets the eye.

Picture this... you're driving along when suddenly an oncoming car drifts into your lane. You're about to have a head-on collision... what do you do? For most of us, the answer might be simply stomping on the breaks - but this isn't always the best thing to do. Crash avoidance techniques are pre-planned maneuvers that can help you stop a crash from occurring all together. Similar to knowing to Stop, Drop, and Roll if your clothing's on fire, crash avoidance techniques should be second nature if we want them to actually work when we need them too. Allan Kirk is the CEO of the New Zealand Motorcycle Safety Consultants and he's here to give us some tips on what to do in these situations.

Shadon will be familiar to some, having played Matiu Thompson on Shortland Street for a couple of years, as well as for his appearances on Rurangi and TVNZ's Toi Time, and right now you can see Shadon in his play Waiting which opened in Auckland last night. Waiting is a love letter to Shadon's son and has scooped up the awards over the years. Jesse talks to Shadon about the latest iteration of the play.

Yesterday New Zealand comedian James Nokise was supposed to be on an evening train from London to Edinburgh, that usually takes just under 6 hours. But 10 minutes into the journey the train manager said they'd 'heard from passengers' that the train they were on had been cancelled. James Nokise tells Jesse all about the unpredictable 11-hour train/taxi journey he shared with hundreds of other people that ended at 3:20am.

To see a painting by Edward Hopper is often to feel loneliness in scenes from ordinary urban life. He is considered one of the greatest American painters of the 20th century but had only sold one painting by the time he turned 40. Everything changed during his summer of love in 1923, 100 years ago, when Hopper visited Gloucester Massachusetts north of Boston and met his wife. He found the inspiration that catapulted his career. The Cape Ann Museum in Gloucester is hosting an exhibition of more than 60 of Edward Hopper's paintings, etchings and drawings that explore the importance of place as a catalyst for creativity. It's called Edward Hopper & Cape Ann: Illuminating an American Landscape Dr Elliot Bostwick Davis is the curator, and talks to Jesse.

Jesse talks to Brad Foster about the latest in the fatal mushroom case, the Australian budget, and the Wallabies in the Rugby World Cup.

Catherine Ross is the library manager at Mt Roskill Grammar School and shares her librarian picks! For Ages: 10/11+ Years A Game of Fox & Squirrels - By Jenn Reese, Published in 2020 For Ages 11/12+ Years Revolver - By Marcus Sedgwick, Published in 2009 The Memory Thief (New Zealand author, set in New Zealand) - By Leonie Agnew, Published in 2021 For Ages 12/13+ Years Boy in the Tower - By Polly Ho-Yen, Published in 2014 For Ages 13+ The Power (new(ish!) series available on Amazon Prime in NZ at the moment) - By Naomi Alderman, Published in 2017 For Ages 14+ The Eternal Return of Clara Hart - By Louise Finch, Published in 2022

Today on Tech Tuesday Tim Warren talks about the impact of AI on those finishing school and starting study today. He discusses what young people should be considering when career planning, starting university, parenting in the AI era, and the changing job landscape.

It's always a dilemma when you're moving house to decide what to keep and what to let go. Many people find books and magazine collections particularly hard, especially when those magazine collections hold such personal and social history as 'Alison Holst's Kitchen Diary'.

Debbie Marshall is the operations manager at Tiritiri Matangi wildlife sanctuary. She tells Jesse what it takes to keep it all running smoothly and the challenges the island faces.

If you're the outdoorsy type and have ever found yourself in a tricky situation, this story is for you. It turns out that those of us who have been caught in a pickle often don't share these experiences because we don't want to look stupid. The Mountain Safety Council has released a new series of videos encouraging mountaineers to normalise the conversation and share their experiences with each other - as this information could save someone else's life. The Mountain Safety Council owns and operates the NZ Avalanche Advisory, providing avalanche forecasts for 13 regions across New Zealand, where backcountry users can share information on snow conditions, incidences, and avalanches, that can support other backcountry users. Mountain Safety Council's Chief Executive Mike Daisley talks to Jesse.

Little kids have big feelings. And one of the hardest and most important things a child can learn is how to manage them. The fancy name for that is executive function. For bestselling author and mental health counsellor Rebekah Ballagh, it's called getting through the daily challenges of a being a kid who sometimes feel sad, angry, stressed or scared. She's got a new children's book that on the surface, is about a little girl going to school. But it's also a guide for adults to help children deal with some powerful emotions. It's called Let's Go Flo. Jesse talks to Rebekah Ballagh about the book.

Today we're talking about self defence. We'll ask where threats come from, and when a physical response should be used. Jesse talks to Phil Thompson is the founder of Protect Self Defence, he has spent over 20 years teaching and advising in this field. A note that this interview mentions different types of violence including domestic violence.

Sir Ian Taylor joins Jesse to share how extremely proud he is of his son Sam, who is profoundly deaf and finishing his final year of vascular surgery training.

Pratik joins Jesse to review Odd Taxi, The Wheel of Time and AP Dhillon: First of a Kind.

Now in its second year Together We Read is Aotearoa's biggest online book club, with thousands of readers joining reading the same book between September 27 and October 11. This year, the novel is Charity Norman's suspenseful, heart-swelling page turner, Remember Me. 

We often hear about women doing pelvic floor exercises around pregnancies, but most men are surprised to learn they even have a pelvic floor. But drips, dribbles and bladder weakness are quite common for men, especially after prostate surgery. 

Jesse talks to 15-year-old Josh Wilson-Jones who apparently has the best guinea pigs in the country.

What a World Cup it has been so far! Australia all but out this morning after historic defeat to Wales. Welsh fans will be celebrating up and down the country, including Andrew Jones owner of Welsh Dragon Bar in Wellington.

This week's critter is the endangered Fiordland skink, Oligosoma acrinasum - a sleek, dark-coloured skink that lives on the rocky shores of Fiordland. Sun is at a premium in this part of the world, so when it pops out of the clouds, these skinks pile on top of each other to bask in its warm rays.

With daylight savings upon us this weekend Lynda Hallinan has some great tips for making the most of the outdoor space at your home after hours.

Today's recipe from food author, stylist and cook Kelly Gibney can be either a tasty snack at home or a great addition as a side dish at a summer bbq. She shares her recipe for a gluten free loaf, packed with flavour and a great texture. You can find out how to make this recipe here.

Today Newshub entertainment editor and film critic Kate Rodger is along to talk about movies she's seen. She talks to Jesse about The Creator, Strange Way of Life and Anatomy of a Fall.

Each week on Afternoons we delve into the stories of the unexplained, eerie or strange coincidences. Dubbed 'Freaky Friday' we ask listeners to share their goose bum inducing stories with us. If you have one to share please text 2101 or email jesse@rnz.co.nz. This week we talk to Sandy about his stories.

Finding a way to protect our skin without hurting the ocean and marine life became a passion for conservationist Natalie Jones, Nga Wairiki, Ngati Apa, who was appalled by the long list of unnecessary ingredients in conventional sunscreens. 

The Later Vaper Arcade offers young people an opportunity to school up on breath, well-being and stress management this school holidays.

For the past few years Dr. Charlotte King has been studying the skeletal remains of colonial settlers on the Otago Goldfields in the eighteen hundreds. We spoke to her when she embarked on the project, looking at isotopic evidence from the remains finding that the settlers were much more diverse than first thought. 

Last week the much anticipated Pre-Election Financial Update (PREFU) was released. The PREFU is a mandatory "opening of the government books" before a general election. However, for most of our history we did not have the PREFU. So what happened in the pre-PREFU era and why was it introduced? Today Dr Grant Morris explains the history behind the release.

Today 'retired' farmer Steve Wyn-Harris talks to Jesse about getting Leptospirosis from sheep while doing lambing beats and his very formal investiture at Government House in Wellington

Today we're going back to Amsterdam in 1998, where history was made.

It's been around 2 months since the first translocation of kākāpō to mainland Aotearoa. To check in on how these taonga are going in Te Ika a Māui, we're joined by Ngai Tahu kākāpō recovery group representative, Tāne Davis. 

Earlier this year, when Auckland resident Fiáin d'Leafy was moving house, they decided to find a fresh way to approach this not so fun chore. Because they did it entirely by bike.

Over this past week we've seen reports of frustrated arriving passengers at Auckland Airport waiting for hours, loosing luggage, and not knowing what was going on. Tourism operators rely on New Zealand to be accessible to get around.

Why do some foods go so well together – like macaroni and cheese – while other flavour combos fall flat? This week senior producer Justin Gregory digs into a smorgasbord of unusual food pairings and finds two researchers investigating which food goes with what, and why.

Every year, the average person eats about 8kg of additives, which shouldn't come as a surprise if you look at the long list of incomprehensible ingredients on the back of so many packets of food. Dr Chris van Tulleken speaks to Jesse.

Collector's Corner: Max Barclay on vintage tools

Today Alex talks to Jesse about Under the whariki and Where should we being with Esther Perel.

We know artificial intelligence is moving forward in leaps and bounds, making a lot of people quite nervous for the future. There's a lot of A.I innovations happening right here in New Zealand. Emre Deniz speaks to Jesse.

How low can the sugar levels be in sugary drinks before people don't like the taste? A new study set out to answer that question and were surprised to find people are ok with a lot less sugar than what was expected.

One in six New Zealanders suffer from some sort of hearing loss. Consumer NZ are concerned the hearing aid industry is prioritising sales over customers. SKaituhi Mātoro investigative writer Vanessa Pratley talks to Jesse.

Julia Atkinson-Dunn's just released a book for established and prospective gardeners. It's called A Guided Discovery of Gardening.

Tami Neilson is back from touring in the U.S and about to start a special tour in Aotearoa with NZ music legend Dinah Lee. Tami joins Jesse to talk about the upcoming Rock 'n' Roll Revue.

There are birders and then there's Peter Kaestner. He's a retired US diplomat who holds the world record for seeing the most bird species, 9,856 birds. A duck on the back of our 10 dollar note was his nemesis for years!

Brad Foster reports on the unseasonable hot weather in Sydney and the high fire danger on the south coast that sees 20 schools closed on Tuesday, what is expected in the NSW Budget out today, and the desire of city-dwellers to move to regional areas.

This week Pip talks to Jesse about books that have altered the way she experiences the world. She reviews Paku Manu Ariki Whakatakapokai, A Billion Years Before the End of the World and Owl.

Most businesses want to do the right thing when it comes to being sustainable But finances, a lack of understanding, and time constraints can prevent them from investing in nature.

The RMS Niagara currently lies in 120 metres of water on the seafloor of the northern border of the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park, not far from the pristine Poor Knights Islands.

The New Zealand Community Foundation is working with more than 650 bequests to local communities around New Zealand. Dr Claire Routley is an expert in legacy giving and she's in New Zealand as the Foundation's guest.

Sally Ward, expert home baker is with Jesse to talk about the art of making birthday cakes, a timely chat at the most common time of the year for birthdays is between September 22nd and October 4th.

Today's parent is Tom Ford, talking about his daughter Annabel, she's gained commercial pilot's license and her dad made her a promise about what he would do when that happened!

Today Caitlin talks to Jesse about Tulsa King on TVNZ on Demand, Bad Sisters on Apple TV and two shows she reckons you should avoid, The Recruit and Who Is Erin Centre.

New start-up company Rescued does. And they are the only New Zealand start up to be invited over to London next week for the Future Food Tech summit Founder Diane Stanbra speaks to Jesse.

A new show has launched here at RNZ with Midday Presenter Charlotte Cook hosting a fun series called Grilled By Cook.

How do you know what items will pop off at an auction, what's valuable and what will people care about? Well according Hospice Taranaki and their increasingly popular annual auction, it's a 'sixth sense'.

This Sunday, September 17, is International Microorganism Day and we're celebrating by talking about brewer's yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Humans have been putting this yeast to work since ancient times to make wine, beer and bread but what exactly is it?

If your spring clean is including a few odd jobs around the home that need a bit of DIY attention, builder Stan Scott is along today to help out if he can.

Today Martin Bosley has a recipe for a simple treat that could nearly be considered a health food! He shares with Jesse how to make Little Prune Cakes with Custard, a great way to treat guests with desert or just a nice little treat during the day.

Today Sam talks to Jesse about A Haunting in Venice and Paint.

For this week's installment of Freaky Friday we speak to Geoff about a haunted house in Auckland and Sue has an incredible story to share about a dream that wasn't a dream as well as the story of her birth.

Today is officially the start of the Jewish New Year, Rosh HaShanah. To tell us more about the event, how it's marked and the food that's traditionally paired with the celebrations, Yael Shochat of Ima Cuisine joins Jesse.

Someday Stories is a yearly series run by The Outlook for Someday, a project that aims to support young filmmakers on their journey into the film industry. Today we're speaking to Luke Ross, director of The Generation Gardener.

'Paku Manu Ariki Whakatakapokai' is a new illustrated book for young readers about a young boy full of ideas and self-determination.

Today Mary talks to Jesse about how much insurance we should have, especially with premiums on the rise at the same time there appears to be more climate related damaged being caused.

 Australian mountaineer Freda Du Faur (Four) became the first known woman to climb our tallest maunga, Aoraki Mt Cook in 1920.  Fictoria University of Wellington Professor of History, Charlotte Macdonald talks to Jesse.

Wellington residents are facing a summer of water restrictions due to ageing infrastructure putting pressure on the supply to households. Lower Hutt Mayor Campbell Barry is the chair of the Wellington Water Committee.

It's estimated that New Zealand vineyards are using around 30 million plastic ties each year to help with pest control and protection of vines.  It's hoped a newly developed biodegrable clip will help to reduce that plastic waste.

Kiwi-Samoan rapper Poetik has opened a new retail and creative space in West Auckland that he hopes will become an oasis for indigenous artists. He speaks to Jesse about his plans.

It's time to ruffle some feathers: Our avian aficionados are back for part 2 of the Great Ireland vs. New Zealand Bird-off. Claire Concannon judges two bird nerds' top selections across multiple categories to determine which island nation boasts the best birds.

Growing up in the Koreatown area of Los Angeles in the 1990's, Vivian Yoon kept a secret. The second generation Korean American loved K-Pop long before it became a billion dollar international industry.

Collectors Corner: Vintage bottle collection

Today Elliott talks to Jesse about Project Unabom, an eight series podcast on the Unabom investigation, it was the longest manhunt in US history running from 1978 to 1996.

You've heard of NASCAR and Le Mans, but how about NaZCAR and lemons? NaZCAR is a haven of motorsporting events for amateur petrolheads. It all started in 2016, when Dr Jacob Simonsen introduced the '24 Hours of Lemons' event.

Some of New Zealand's best women in rock are putting on an electric concert to pay tribute to the musicians who paved the way for them in the industry. Gin Wigmore catches up with Jesse to tell us more about what we can expect.

Dr Debashree Roy recently won the Falling Walls Lab Aotearoa New Zealand competition for their innovative, patented technology for making protein-enriched plant-based cheeses. She speaks to Jesse.

 AgriZeroNZ has become the lead investor in an American start-up working to reduce methane emitted from cows while improving their health.  Wayne McNee, executive director of AgriZeroNZ speaks to Jesse.

The pandemic is officially over, but the virus that causes COVID-19 is not done with us yet. To keep up with treatments and public health policies, we need to understand the source of it says author and science writer David Quammen.

Brad Foster reports on the announcement of the first new hospital in western Sydney in 40 years, the Federal Government's Housing Future Fund getting the green light, which will mean more affordable housing, and asks whether the Warriors' strong form in the NRL is seeing a shift in New Zealand's sporting landscape.

Today Dominic Hoey talks to Jesse about Night Boat to Tangiers by Kevin Barry, a book which as longlisted for the prestigious 2019 Booker Prize.

Today Dan Watson talks to Jesse about the role of AI in the lead up to this year's election.

The race is on in the motoring world to corner the rural market with practical heavy load bearing zero emissions vehicles. Car maker Toyota has just laid down the challenge to other manufacturers in debuting it's hydrogen-Hilux.

The Aotearoa Festival of Architecture returns next Monday and will run until the following Sunday. Along with a bevvy of events and guest speakers the festival will include the 'Model Citizens' competition.

A former chef and first-time winemaker is about to launch a new label that incorporates Maoritanga every step of the way, from vine to glass. Matua Murupaenga speaks to Jesse.

Everyone has one and everyone seems to have an opinion about them too. Kim Kardashian has built an empire on hers. Bums are cultural obsession says Heather Radke, an essayist, journalist, and contributing editor and reporter.

Maybe you'll see a bright light, a tunnel, or speak to someone you know who has already passed away.....Associate Professor Natasha Tassell-Matamua from Massey University's School of Psychology is our expert guest this week.

This week we speak to Basil Avery about his son and daughter-in-law who have pitched to bring the World Green Infrastructure Congress even to NZ.

This week we speak to Basil Avery about his son and daughter-in-law who have pitched to bring the World Green Infrastructure Congress even to NZ.

Today Linda speaks to Jesse about season 3 of Star Struck and a look at the private lives of the successful reality TV presenters out of the UK.

As part of an Our Land and Water study to analyse historical data, DairyNZ's water quality science team, in collaboration with AgResearch and Lincoln University, has revisited dairy farms around the country.

A debilitating condition that affects about 10% of females in Aotearoa New Zealand, endometriosis remains virtually unknown or mysterious condition to most people. Can we engineer a solution to end endometriosis?

A new machine learning model being developed in conjunction with an Auckland University business school teaching assistant could make it easier to catch anyone out if they're in on some insider knowledge of any games being thrown.

The matata or New Zealand fernbird is a secretive little bird with a big attitude. Despite being the size and weight of a mouse, they're not afraid to hunt for blowflies on the back of a sleeping sea lion.

This week we speak to NZ Gardening Magazine editor Jo McCarroll about having an all year round crop to harvest and use in your meals! Jo talks to Anna about the best vegetables to be planting throughout the year to ensure you have something to year 365 from your own garden.

Today chef and Shared Kitchen founder Julie Bisuo shares a recipe for a frittata which is a cross between an omelette and a pancake. Julies has some great tips for making a tasty and yellow pepper frittata, a dish that can be served for any meal time. You can find out how to make this version of a frittata here.

Today Graeme talks to Anna about The Nun 2, Building Bridges: Bill Youren's Visions of Peace and Past Lives.

Freaky Friday is our weekly segment where we ask you to share your creepy, spooky, or coincidental experiences. If you have a tale to tell please get in touch by text, 2101, or email us at afternoons@rnz.co.nz This week we speak to Bronwyn about a ghostly encounter involving a haunted house and a priest getting involved.

We all know that being an innovator and pioneer can be exciting and empowering, but it can also be daunting, overwhelming and sometimes and unwelcoming environment causing anxiety, burnout and depression.

It's a mixed bag for Antarctica with news that in 2022 the ice continent experienced a massive heat wave. Dr Kyle Clem, a lecturer in climate science at Te Herenga Waka-Victoria University of Wellington speaks to Anna.

Today historian Dr Grant Morris looks back at the most negative election campaigns in New Zealand history. The topic's been prompted by recent commentary that, in fact, this year's election campaign may take the title as the most negative in our political history. He talks to Susie about how a negative campaign is defined and what's gone on in past elections.