Afternoons

Have you ever wondered what critter creates those large horizontal webs in our native forests? This week, Forest & Bird CEO Nicola Toki will introduce you to the creator behind the webs, the New Zealand sheetweb spider, Cambridgea foliata. It's the largest of our sheetweb spiders and can craft a web up to 1 m in diameter!

Gardening expert Kate Hellier has some expert advice for keeping those nasty pests away from your precious plants.

Julie Biuso brings Italy to the show with a dish from her late mother-in-law Mamma Rosa.

Dom Corry is in the studio to talk what's on in the theatres. He reviews Heretic, starring Hugh Grant; a Lucy Lawless directed documentary Never Look Away and the drama Memory, featuring Peter Sarsgaard.

Listener Rick explains how his life has been marked by incredible coincidences.

A couple of months ago there was a campaign for Hamilton to redesign its coat of arms... Spoiler alert - The mayor said it's not going to happen. But that got us thinking.... Why do our cities even have Coats of Arms? And are they actually any good? Or could some cities do with a bit of a rebrand? So to answer that question - and come up with a distinctly un-comprehensive - regional coat of arms ranking... We're joined by David Jack & Dick Frizzell David is an expert in all things Coats Of Arms and Dick is an internationally famous artist.

Yesterday Steve Gurney joined us for Sporting History. You can still listen to that conversation with the nine-time Coast to Cost race champion on the RNZ website Near the end of our conversation he mentioned a charity project he's involved with - the Coast To Coast Rangers. We ran out of time to talk much about it, but our interest was piqued.

Human or Horse? Who would win a 40 km race? It sounds like the kind of question you'd toss around after a few too many beers at the pub... and that is exactly where the idea for 'The Only Fools and Horses Race' came to life. Runners and horses will go head-to-head in a race through rugged terrain in central Otago While horses can average speeds of up to 40km/h, Humans typically run at around 10km/h ... but who have the endurance to go all the way? 'The Only Fools and Horses Race' coordinator Steve Tripp joins Jese to explain why this is happening.

Today on the pre-panel producer Carol Stiles joins Wallace Chapman & Jesse Mulligan to preview tonight's show.

Dr Grant from Victoria University looks at the history of mass protests in New Zealand and how they stack up against Tuesday's hikoi to Wellington.

Publicist Ali Jones says she has the answer to poor health outcomes for mothers and newborns: a health system where midwives are front and center. It's an approach advocated for by the WHO in a new report. But there is one place where a system like this is already implemented: Aotearoa/New Zealand. but is it appropriately funded?

Adventure racer and multisport triathlete Steve Gurney joins us for this week's NZ Sporting History. Steve is most well-known for winning the 243km Coast to Coast race a record 9 times and representing New Zealand at two Mountain bike world championships.

RNZ News reader Evie Ashton reviews an eclectic bunch of podcasts that can help send you off to sleep.

Staff at an Upper Hutt Wildlife reserve are devastated after the alleged theft of its "loving and talkative" Cockatoo 'Pepper' Staglands staff believe the 6-year-old sulphur crested cockatoo was taken from her aviary on Sunday and are now asking the public and police for help getting her back... Stagland's general manager Sarah Purdy talks to Jesse about Pepper and the alleged abduction.

For over a decade, an irreplaceable ring laser has been trapped in a cavern 30m below Christchurch port hills. The Carl Zeiss laser was installed in an old World War Two bunker in 1997 until a rockfall after the 2011 Christchurch earthquake sealed the cavern. But now it's been rescued and is fully operational. Professor Jon-Paul Wells is the principal investigator on the ring laser project.

Beef cattle account for roughly 10% of Aotearoa New Zealand's total greenhouse gas emissions. There's plenty of research looking into methods to reduce emissions - vaccines, seaweed-based feed, and selective breeding programs are all being explored. But according to a new AgResearch study there could be a simpler way.

A new study has found that native plants in Tongariro National Park are being hit hard by the spread of invasive heather, with a 40 to 50 percent decline in native species in some areas. Dr Julie Deslippe, a senior lecturer in biological sciences at Te Herenga Waka-Victoria University of Wellington joined Jesse.

Today on the pre-panel producer Carol Stiles joins Wallace Chapman & Jesse Mulligan to preview tonight's show.

Our Changing World goes in search of one of Aotearoa’s rarest plants – the stunning kakabeak, or ngutukākā.  Its clusters of bright red blooms, each shaped like a parrot’s beak, make it a popular garden plant. But in the wild, ngutukākā is barely holding on. Considered “nationally critical” by the Department of Conservation, only about 100 individual ngutukākā plants survive, clinging to exposed steep bluffs where goats and rabbits can’t get to them. But now, locals along the East Coast, the kakabeak’s last stronghold, are determined to reverse its march towards extinction by propagating wild plants to turn State Highway 35 into a crimson highway. Veronika Meduna joins them for the inaugural Ngutukākā Festival.

Data is more than numbers on a chart according to graphic designer Dr Giorgia Lupi. Data is a way to tell stories.

This recipe loosely steals its inspiration for the classic French salad. Get the recipe here.

Jesse talks to the authors of Pilgrimage Aotearoa, a guidebook outlining a New Zealand route for Pilgrims.

While you're enjoying the summer this year, a group of student scientists will spend it checking for E. coli and enterococci.

Wellington's first 6 Green Star building - 8 Willis St - has been lauded both here and overseas.

Why do crowd estimates differ so much? And how do experts accurately measure crowd sizes?

"We only deserve it if we share it." This was the unwritten rule in the home where food writer and entrepreneur Lola Millholland grew up. Her parents always welcomed exchange students, friends, artists and just about anyone who needed a place to stay. While the communal house may have been chaotic and messy, Millholland says she discovered that friendships and non-romantic relationships can provide stability and security that's undervalued. She's written a book about some of the many meals and gatherings in the home where caring for each other is an essential ingredient. The book is called Group Living and Other Recipes.

Back on the job Brad Foster talks about what's happening in Australia. The big news is broadcaster Alan Jones' arrest due to allegations of indecent assault and a high-profile manslaughter trial around the tasing of a 95-year-old.

Pip Adams makes some personal recommendations around books and writing that she found useful when formulating her thoughts around the debate around the bill.

Our technology expert Dan Watson has just come back from a 5-day tramp in the South Island, and he runs through some of the aps and tools he's used on the journey.

We check in with reporter Layla Bailey-McDowell who is deep in the crowd amassing at Parliament today.

Our grandparents used to do the washing once a week. Now New Zealanders use billions of litres of water every year, just on laundry. Katy Gosset looks at whether we're washing our clothes too often.

Every now and again we receive an email from a listener suggesting we speak to a particular person - someone with an impressive story to tell. That's how we came to be in touch with Fergus Morunga. Fergus is 18 years old and is the out-going head prefect at Hastings' Lindisfarne College - among other things he's a film maker, a pipe major, a fundraising champion, a good scholar, an accomplished sportsman and a respected young leader.

On the 3rd Monday of November Timaru echoes with the sound of horns. So much so the first time it happened the police received multiple complaints. But now, 17 years on, the whole community are behind the wee scamps Its Toot for Tucker. The project, organised by the lions club is a collection for local foodbanks Founding member Lynette Doggett joins Afternoons.

10 years ago, four friends working as Stephen Fry's fact "elves" started a podcast called No Such Thing As a Fish.

The humble root vegetable has grown to be part of our national identity. Our expert today is Ruawai kumara grower Warwick Simpson.

So far Jesse has called Whakatane, Motueka and Kurow to name just a few. Where will my producer send him next? Let's find out.

Caitlin Cherry reviews two new TVNZ shows, Matlock and A Remarkable Place to Die.

Craft Gin is experiencing a surge in popularity across New Zealand.

13-year-old Elly Grady's debut children's book is an oral history of her Kereru, Hawkes Bay community.

For the past 20 years hundreds of Kiwi teachers have taken part in a programme that's allowed them to experience life in a Samoan village.

This week's critter is a curious and cryptic insect you've probably never heard of. The native thread-legged bug, Empicorus seorsus, is unique to Aotearoa and is one of only four thread-legged bugs found here. It looks a bit like a moth crossed with a daddy-long leg and a praying mantis. Don't be fooled by its delicate-looking legs because this critter is a powerful predator.

Any and all DIY or building questions will be answered by Stan Scott, builder and solid dude.

Gretchen Lowe has a perfect Friday night mix-up on a pizza. Get the recipe here.

Kate Rodger gives her verdict on the sequel to Ridley Scott's classic Gladiator.

Today we hear from Margaret and her freaky story.

According to a new report,10,000 properties will become totally uninsurable within the next 25 years.

A couple of weeks ago, you will have heard that Star Jam, the organisation that created dancing and performing opportunities for people with disabilties, came to an abrupt end. For one group - the news the dancing had to stop, came two days before the end of year concert that jammers had spent months preparing for. An Auckland mother is determined that her son, and his friends, will still get the chance to groove and move each week. Jesse talks to Sally Rayner - from Lena's Magic Movers.

When you think of permaculture, you might imagine something very busy and wild, but Amanda Warren is a garden designer and says it doesn't have to be like that.

Today on the pre-panel producer José Barbosa joins Wallace Chapman & Jesse Mulligan to preview tonight's show.

Mary's talked about women investing on International Women's Day, but how about the blokes? Men are open to taking risks in investing, more than women, but can be overconfident and less likely to seek advice. Well guys, we recommend listening to Mary and her advice on this occasion.

Former All Blacks captain Sir Wayne 'Buck' Shelford joins us for this week's Sporting History. Sir Wayne's career in Rugby Union includes joining the New Zealand Cavaliers on their controversial tour of apartheid South Africa and winning the inaugural 1987 Rugby World Cup. He then captained the All Blacks for a three year, 14 game unbeaten streak Buck is also credited with revitalising the Ka Mate haka the All Blacks perform before matched. Teaching the team the correct tikanga. Oh and there's also the infamous "Battle of Nantes" which resulted in Sir Wayne 'Buck' Shelford being knocked out, losing several teeth and a testicle!

Elliott Childs accepts a listener's recommendation and gives a podcast hosted by two marriage celebrants a hoon.

Author Vanessa Robertson joins Jesse to talk us through the process of collecting a family history.

How often do you think about the Roman Empire? If memes are to be believed, men think about it every day. But it's not just the men. University of Canterbury Associate Professor Alison Griffith does too. Alison teaches students about Roman society through a traditional Maori lens. She joins Jesse to explore how we can use that knowledge and apply it to our own society and culture.

Australian redback spiders found their way to New Zealand in the 1980s.   These dangerously venomous spiders are now found in Central Otago and New Plymouth, where they pose a risk to both people and our native endangered species.  To control these invasive spiders, a team of scientists at Plant & Food Research is working on a cunning trap.   It's a targeted, environmentally friendly alternative to pesticides.  But first, to get the trap working, the scientists need to enlist the help of the spiders themselves.  We join Ellen Rykers in the lab as she meets Dr Andrew Twidle and 800 redback spiders.

The way our immune system fights off malicious bacteria and viruses is pure poetry to John Trowsdale, emeritus professor of immunology at the University of Cambridge.

This isn't your ordinary mac 'n cheese, thanks to a few surprising ingredients. Get the recipe here.

The Sherrif of Sounds himself, Matthew Crawley - is our music reviewer.

Kiwi journalist Claire McCall and her partner set off on an epic walking adventure to tackle a 3034km route.

Over the few days, Oamaru residents and visitors to the town will be able to escape the 21st Century and step back into the Victoria era.

When we die, most of us will end up in a brown box, but the more eccentric among us may want something a little more ... them.

Dr Elizabeth Dunn and PhD student Dunigan Folk from the University of British Columbia decided to study the studies that claim to understand what makes us happy and found some surprisingly results.

Jese is joined by Michael Rennie, a member of the Yorta Yorta and Gunditjmara nations and a presenter and senior producer for NITV, the National Indigenous branch of Australia's SBS.

Afternoons book reviewer Catherine Robertson offers her latest literary recommendations.

Comedian and podcast titan Tim Batt delivers the latest in the world of tech. Today Tim and Jesse discuss Australian's new social media ban.

A Hawke's Bay bird-watching experience has been voted one of the top 15 family-friendly excursions in the world.

After 15 years the hogs have come back to the Canterbury A&P Show.

Released in 1984, Vigil was a watershed moment for the New Zealand film industry.

If genius is the ability to see things exactly as they are, singer, songwriter and poet Leonard Cohen fits the bill according to Professor Christophe Lebold. For 20 years, Lebold has traveled in Cohen's footsteps and poured over his writing. The two became friends after a chance meeting and spent time together before Cohen's death. In a biography that is part analysis, part ode to the beloved troubadour, Lebold excavates how the man and his music shines a light in the darkest places. The biography is called Leonard Cohen: The Man Who Saw the Angels Fall.

Rachel Antony is the CEO of Greenstone TV and is ready to answer your questions about TV and how to make it.

Every week Jesse calls an information center, out of the blue and at random.

Our TV critic Dominic Corry reviews the spinoff Dune: Prophecy and checks in on The Simpsons.

We all like to think we've touched the lives of others in some way, but it's hard to go past Reverend Barbara Walker.

The last 12 months have not been easy for our fresh produce producers, says United Fresh.

Last week it was reported that former heavyweight boxer Dave Letele's South Auckland foodbank would not have enough stock to last until Christmas.

Is it a bird or a bug? The answer is neither! Ladybirds or ladybugs are beautiful beetles that are a great help in the garden, where they can eat up to 100 aphids per day. This week's critter is the papapa kopure or orange-spotted ladybird (Coccinella leonina), an endemic species with a glossy black body and bright orange spots. Ladybirds are beloved creatures. Since the Middle Ages, they have been associated with the Virgin Mary, and many people still believe they bring good luck.

Rachael Quinn is a professional organsier and housekeeper, she's here to answer any and all questions around cleaning and keeping the house shipshape. Today she's talking about ways to create a schedule for yourself, so you avoid the frantic rush to clean the house or grocery shop just days before hosting a Christmas party.

Sabato's director Jacqui Dixon shares a special delicious stuffing recipe just in time for Christmas.

Live from the Otautahi, Christchurch studio RNZ presents Goodwill, the latest project from Will McGillivray.

Hotshot producer and film review Sam Hollis reviews Jason Reitman's Saturday Night Live and Aubrey Plaza's latest:  My Old Ass.

Greyhounds As Pets is a charity organisation dedicated to finding homes for retired racing greyhounds.

Greg tells a tale of a scared stand of trees and the spookiness that ensued.

Planetary health labelling is food labelling which contains data that can be used to calculate the environmental impact of the product.

A couple of months ago the wider Kaikōura district became our newest Dark Sky Sanctuary. Exciting news for Kaikōura, but it does mean the Council will have to make some changes.

Today historian Dr Grant Morris joins Jesse from Victoria, Australia. He's been learning all about the region's history and has prepared a few tidbits to share with us today.

Why has wool it been in terminal decline?

Today seasoned sports journalist Dylan Cleave joins Jesse to talk cricket, specifically the Black Caps winning the inaugural World Test Championship.

Afternoons podcast critic Nick Robinson joins Jesse to review two podcasts. The first tells the story of the broom that very nearly destroyed curling, while the second details the rise of one of the world's most famed contemporary artists.

The Eating Disorder Association of New Zealand (EDANZ) has expressed concerned that the Health Star rating adorning products on supermarket shelves may have negative impacts.

Photographer and journalist Vivien Beduya wanted to cut back on her screen time and found the solution in "dumbing down" her phone.

Invented in 1947, Subbuteo players simulate a game of football by flicking miniature figures to try and score goals and win matches.

The MRI technique advances coming out of the Mātai Medical Research Institute in Gisborne have been described as ‘pioneering’, ‘groundbreaking’ and ‘world leading’. Claire Concannon speaks to chief executive and research director Dr Samantha Holdsworth to learn why, and about their big plans for the future.

For 20 years, journalist Tom O'Neill immersed himself in an investigation of one of the most bizarre and gruesome crimes in America, the Manson Murders.

A simple weeknight soup with the most gorgeous flavour.

Wellington resident Michael Szabo is editor of Birds New Zealand magazine, and he has written Wild Wellington Nga Taonga Taiao - published by Te Papa press.

It's National Oral Health Day and the 'Switch to Water' campaign focusses on the 15 to 25 age group, who consume the sugariest drinks.

Imagine being able to carry your own solar panel around with you, rolled up in your pocket.

It's time for a new season of Thrift and today: too many clothes in your wardrobe? Don't worry you're not alone. But how many wears are you getting out of each item? And could you ditch a few to make some extra money? Katy Gosset looks at how to shop mindfully.

Educational technology is not the panacea we've been told it is says Amy Tyson.