Nature
Free to Roam
When Richard Ashcroft was a boy he loved sailing toy boats down a stream, building huts and swinging on vines in the bush. He thinks modern day kids especially those in towns and cities have been… Audio, Gallery
Young activist Dara McAnulty on his passion for nature
Sixteen-year-old Dara McAnulty turned his blog about the natural world around him into a diary, which has been published amid the coronavirus crisis. Audio
Citizen Science Surges During Lockdown
Colin Meurk from the iNaturalist NZ website for recording natural history observations joins us. the site is now the biggest citizen bio-science platform in the country and second in the world. NZ… Audio
Professor Emrys Westacott: Covid-19 pandemic 'spells the end of the neoliberal era'
Many have revelled in a return to a simpler life due to Covid-19. Professor Emrys Westacott, who wrote The Wisdom of Frugality, says this is a time to reflect on whether the type of society we had… Audio
The quiet zone: the US town where Wi-Fi is banned
The Green Bank Radio Telescope is the largest steerable telescope in the world. The telescope needs to be isolated from all the radio noise that humanity produces. Which means that WiFi in Green Bank… Audio
How gardening creates a time warp
Gardening is more than a relaxing hobby. It's good for your health, whatever age you are. Dr Harriet Gross is a psychology professor at Lincoln University in the United Kingdom. She explains why… Audio
Combining urban design with nature
A visiting eco-architect has been sharing his expertise on how to create urban areas with nature through design innovation. Professor Klaus Klaas Loenhart explains his approach. Audio
Shane O'Mara: walking can help combat depression
Neuroscientist Shane O'Mara is an avid walker who has just released a new book that is something of a hymn to the most basic of exercises, In Praise of Walking. He joins the show to discuss the… Audio
Leadership 'lacking' in new conservation strategy
The government's new action plan for biodiversity involves making the country pest free by 2050, and reducing fishing bycatch of seabirds and marine mammals, to zero. But a conservation ecologist says… Audio
Visiting a threatened Hawaiian ecosystem: 'Offshore'
Only a select few visit the distant Hawaiian island group, Papahanaumokuakea. It's a massive but remote conservation area, covering ten islands and almost one million square kilometres of the Pacific… Audio
Walking, no talking
It began as a bit of a joke. The writer and journalist Jon Mooalem started recording the walks he took near his home on a wooded island in the north western US. All you can hear on his podcast… Audio
Divorcing, stealing, cheating, waddling penguins celebrated
Penguin expert and award winning filmaker and writer Professor Lloyd Spencer Davis on his new book Waddle on the endearing animals he's been studying for four decades. Video, Audio, Gallery
Neko Case: Finding Beauty In Destruction
Singer, songwriter and producer Neko Case is returning to New Zealand. She talks to Elliott Childs about the creation of her latest album Hell-On, learning to write for her voice and finding comfort… Video, Audio
Animals thriving in unusual habitats
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Why animals are turning up in odd places and thriving in unusual habitats. Wildlife writer Isabelle Groc and conservation biologist Brian Silliman on what is driving predators… Audio
Our relationship with urban green spaces
Otago University science communication student Karthic Sivanandham investigates urban nature and how we relate to it. Audio
Niwa scientist creates symphony
A Niwa scientist has used the sounds of nature to compose a symphony. Weather records of rainfall, river levels and even the rise and fall of the tide have been computer blended with instruments into… Audio
Birdstories: the new book about NZ native birds from the author of 'Buller's Birds'
New Zealanders may have taken so kindly to the kiwi as a national symbol because we like to see its characteristics in ourselves, says Geoff Norman. "It's a fairly modest little bird, it's not flashy… Audio, Gallery
First song - Paul Kelly 'With The One I Love'
We have an incredible guest in our studio today, Australian music royalty, ARIA Hall of Famer, Paul Kelly, whose 24th album Nature comes out tomorrow. He's been in country for live sessions and plays… Audio
Mistletoe rescue mission
Botanists have banded together to bring native mistletoes back to Wellington city, using seeds rescued from a plant growing on a dying tree. Audio
'My favourite insect is a cicada'
Olly Hills, aged 11, is a big fan of insects, and author of the field guide 'Cicadas of New Zealand.' Audio