Claire Concannon has been investigating New Zealand's youth vaping rates, and what the long-term health impacts might be on our rangitahi. She heads to the Auckland Bioengineering Institute to learn about Dr Kelly Burrowe's research into how vaping affects our lungs.
Aug 20, 2025•12 min
If friends keep cancelling on you, ignoring your success, or talking behind your back it might be time to ask, are they a bad friend, or are you? Loneliness is often called an epidemic, but it's not always about lacking friends, it can be about failing to be a good one. Danielle Bayard Jackson is a friendship expert and host of the Friend Forward podcast. She says neglect, poor communication, and one-sided effort quietly erode relationships and offers the tools to re-evaluate what it takes to ha...
Aug 20, 2025•21 min
Lily Shanks runs the 'Music Video Showcase', an evening that celebrates locally made music videos of all styles, music genres and budgets putting them up on the big screen to be watched in full.
Aug 20, 2025•28 min
Kelly Gibney is here to share her recipe and says a mix of seeds adds big crunch to schnitzel. The addition of hemp, sesame and chia seeds to panko breadcrumbs makes a very crunchy and super tasty coating for chicken. While Brussels sprouts are in season, try them in a salad or slaw. When very thinly sliced (ideally via a mandolin) they're a fantastic salad green. They work really well with a richly flavoured dressing, such as this easy Caesar dressing. Recipe is here
Aug 20, 2025•7 min
Waiheke island based Geneva Alexander-Marsters, known as Geneva AM, has just released her album Pikipiki. Music critic Sarah Thomson shares her thoughts, and also talks about James Dansey's new music. Songs - Geneva AM - Tipuna Rakau and James Dansey - Hoea!
Aug 20, 2025•11 min
Today we're jetting to Mexico! New spaces have become available for Cazador's 2025 Mexico Food Tour, which takes travellers on a culinary journey from Mexico City to Oaxaca in the south.
Aug 20, 2025•12 min
Judges sampled over 200 toasties up and down the country and today a supreme winner has been crowned from the 13 finalists.
Aug 20, 2025•5 min
Bioarcheologist Professor Rebecca Gowland has been studying the Black Death and is in Wellington this week presenting about how understanding the past can help us prepare for the future.
Aug 20, 2025•9 min
As part of the Government's changes to the education system, it announced an initiative called 'Make It Write'. It includes updated handwriting resources for Primary and Intermediate Schools. But, in2025, do kids really need to know how to write by hand?
Aug 20, 2025•12 min
While that might not sound bad, the reason why and the fallout can be. One in four adult Gen Zers hasn't had sex, and Carter Sherman says the loss of intimacy is fueling loneliness, anxiety, and porn addiction. She's a reproductive health and justice reporter at The Guardian. Gen Z experiences intimacy mostly online, through platforms like TikTok and dating apps. Sherman has spent the past several years talking to hundreds of teens and young adults. She says porn, online isolation and political ...
Aug 19, 2025•24 min
A chance to find out what's got people talking across the Tasman, from the Wallabies triumph on the rugby field to 1800 Qantas staff's big win in court.
Aug 19, 2025•9 min
Pip Adam has been reading and thinking a lot about how AI could affect writing. She shares books that offer insights to AI and that show how important human writers are. Empire of AI: Dreams and Nightmares in Sam Altman's OpenAI - Karen Hao Blame it on the Rain (no more poetry 2025) - Hana Pera Aoake Show you're working out - Liz Breslin
Aug 19, 2025•10 min
Today our tech expert discusses the worrying rise of AI chat bots and what you can do to stay safe from their dangers
Aug 19, 2025•10 min
The latest attempt to finalise a legally binding global treaty to end plastic pollution fell apart on Friday. What now?
Aug 19, 2025•12 min
People over sixty are wanted to hang out with a tiny robot called iRobi. University of Auckland Master of Robotics and Automation Engineering student Zahra Ally is developing a new game, and she needs help. She chats to Jesse. Please email zall683@aucklanduni.ac.nz.if you're keen to help!
Aug 19, 2025•9 min
There's a deep fake of Gareth Morgan doing the rounds on social media, and it is so sophisticated, even Gareth Morgan was taken aback.
Aug 19, 2025•11 min
We've got something for carb lovers now, this week's Here Now is focused on breaking bread, putting bakers in the spotlight. Today's edition sees master baker Meinolf Kraeling in conversation with Kadambari Raghukumar, about his deeply ingrained German love for bread.
Aug 18, 2025•14 min
Everyone wants to live a long life, but no one wants to get old. Just over 15 years ago, cardiologist Dr Eric Topol went looking for genetic reasons why some people are able age into their 80's without the usual chronic diseases like diabetes or cardiovascular issues. Dr Topol the founder and director of the Scripps Research Institute in San Diego says genetics are not destiny and it's never too late to start taking steps to delay or even prevent disease.
Aug 18, 2025•22 min
Friday is National Poetry Day, and we are delighted, thrilled, positively effervescent to announce that - after taking a hiatus last year - our poetry competition will return! Once more judging your entries, Jesse will be joined by poet, writer and editor of the journal "Poetry Aotearoa" Dr Tracey Slaughter. To give you a head start, for the next 30 minutes she joins us for an expert feature on poetry.
Aug 18, 2025•25 min
As regular listeners will know, we like a cold call here on Afternoons, we've been through all the isite centres around Aotearoa, so now we're turning our attention to iwi radio stations.
Aug 18, 2025•10 min
We're no strangers to endangered animals on this show, but today we're pleased to share a conservation success story. Tawaki, or Fiordland Crested Penguins are the third rarest of the world's 18 penguin species, and thanks to efforts of many, the number of these penguins breeding in Tawaki has nearly tripled from 35 to nearly 100 pairs.
Aug 18, 2025•17 min
There's a lot happening for New Zealand Fashion Week: Kahuria this year, including - of all things - a mini film festival! Ensemble magazine is behind the 'Fashion Film Festival', which will run next week at Auckland's Academy Cinemas. To tell us the ins and outs Rebecca Wadey, co-founder of Ensemble, joins Jesse.
Aug 18, 2025•9 min
More than half of Asian New Zealanders are at risk of depression, with young adults, women, Koreans, and Indians disproportionately affected.
Aug 18, 2025•13 min
It's time for Critter of the week where we put the spotlight on an endangered insect, and today's critter is the very definition of tiny but mighty. The Crabill's centipede is small by most standards .. coming in at 3 centimetres .. but it can take down much larger prey much thanks to its poison claws. Forest and Bird Chief Executive Nicola Toki chats to Emile.
Aug 15, 2025•14 min
Now brace yourselves, spring is just around the corner, and you know what that means a perfect time to clean and declutter. Here to share her top decluttering tips is Rachael Quin from housekeeper.co.nz
Aug 15, 2025•10 min
Alice Taylor from 'Alice Taylor Eats' is here with her take on an Orange and Yogurt Cake.
Aug 15, 2025•5 min
According to audience reviews, the new romantic comedy film "Jane Austen Wrecked My Life" will delight fans of rom coms and fans of the inimitable author. Here to give us her opinion is our film critic Kate Rodger. She also talks to Emile about the winning short film from New Zealand International Film Festival and this weekend's 48Film competition.
Aug 15, 2025•9 min
Today we're joined by country music sensation Jenny Mitchell. Across her career she's starred in NZ's Got Talent, Won a Golden Guitar, an Aotearoa music award, and released 4 albums. The latest of those albums 'Forest House" was released a just few weeks ago.
Aug 15, 2025•37 min
Are you ready to make like Missy Elliot and get your freak on? Well you better be because it's time for Freaky Friday.
Aug 15, 2025•6 min
Today marks eighty years since VJ Day - Victory over Japan Day - when Japan surrendered and World War Two ended. Post-war, twelve thousand New Zealand troops went to Japan to 'de-militarise' the country. To commemorate the anniversary, Nga Taonga Sound and Vision is sharing some 200 historical audio recordings of New Zealanders who served in Japan as part of "J-Force". Sound Historian Sarah Johnston has been working with these recordings and shares some of them with Emile.
Aug 15, 2025•14 min