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Afternoons

RNZ•www.rnz.co.nz
Society & Culture
Jesse Mulligan presents an upbeat mix of the curious and the compelling, ranging from the stories of the day to the great questions of our time.
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Episodes

If this is the Golden Age, how do we make the most of it?

Humans have periods of great success followed by decline and eventual collapse. It's what we do. Golden Ages lose their shine. We are living in the greatest Golden Age of all time and what happens next for us isn't fate, it's a choice says Swedish historian, lecturer and commentator Johan Norberg. He mines lessons from golden ages of the past to help keep our present one going longer in his new book, Peak Human, What We Can Learn from the Rise and Fall of Golden Ages.

Jul 16, 2025•24 min

Bookmarks with Milly Mitchell-Anyon

Milly Mitchell-Anyon is a rising voice in Aotearoa's arts scene - she's held exhibitions at Sarjeant Gallery, Puke Ariki, and Dunedin Public Art Gallery. She's just launched 'Flaming Star' a genre-bending show which reimagines the Wild West through queer and Indigenous lenses. She shares her book, music, film and podcast picks with Jesse.

Jul 16, 2025•28 min

Easy Eats: Spanish-inspired meatballs w/ chilli, chickpea and spinach sauce

Kelly Gibney talks through her divine sounding meatball recipe. She says the meatballs stay incredibly moist and tender with the addition of grated carrot. Chickpeas are an economical addition to the smoky tomato sauce, that brings texture and added nutrition. Traditionally this dish might be served with crusty bread, roast potatoes or a green salad but rice also works really well.

Jul 16, 2025•9 min

Heading Off: Taking a trip into the unknown

Meredith Quick has been on an 'Uncharted Expedition' that took her from Kazakhstan to Mongolia, and today she tells Jesse all about the mysterious excursion.

Jul 16, 2025•8 min

Protecting the Pukunui (the Southern NZ Dotterel)

Rakiura / Stuart Island is home to 105 Pukunui. It's the only place in the world they can be found Doc class them as 'Threatened - Nationally Critical'. Just one step away from extinction.

Jul 16, 2025•13 min

Bringing back extinct animals: Why, how and why again?

Sir Peter Jackson got everyone talking with his plans to bring back the moa (in in partnership with the Ngai Tahu Research Centre at Canterbury University and Canterbury Museum). But he's not the first to want to resurrect the past, earlier this year Texas company Colossal Biosciences announced it had successfully brought back 3 dire wolf cubs after 10 thousand years of extinction. Jesse talks to a member of the Colossal team, Dr Andrew Pask.

Jul 15, 2025•25 min

Update on Oz with Brad Foster: An Amazing Story of Survival

It's the kind of story you can imagine becoming a Hollywood feature film, a German backpacker found alive and well after two weeks lost in the Western Australian outback. Brad Foster shares the latest on the story with Jesse.

Jul 15, 2025•8 min

Bringing magic to life through books

Catherine Ross, the Director of Library at Auckland Grammar School, shares her picks for the tweens and teens in your life. For ages 11+, The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill. For ages 13+, Ordinary Monsters (Book 1 in Trilogy) by J.M. Miro. For ages 14+, Just One Damned Thing After Another by Jodi Taylor; Lady Macbeth by Ava Reid, The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods. Click here for more information.

Jul 15, 2025•8 min

A new way to identify pathogens

New Zealand farmers use well over 3,000 tonnes of pesticide annually. But a new genomic study has discovered a way to potentially cut that by 80%. Using DNA sequencing technology, Lincoln University scientists believe it's possible to stop mass applications and instead switch to a targeted approach. Currently the project - led by Lincoln University Associate Professor Dr Chris Winefield - is focusing on vineyards

Jul 15, 2025•9 min

Headgear actually helping rugby players

While some rugby players choose to wear headgear, those thin, foam caps don't prevent concussions, so many choose not to. But now, research has found isotropic materials may offer more comfort and protection for players. Nick Draper, Professor of Sport and Exercise Science at the University of Canterbury chats to Jesse.

Jul 15, 2025•7 min

Weather reporting and why climate change hasn't been mentioned

As you've seen across the news, the Nelson and Tasman Districts have been hammered with adverse weather. Homes flooded, properties ruined, and livelihoods turned upside down. There have been lots of stories about the terrible weather events, but according to Bernard Hickey, none of them mentioned climate change. Bernard Hickey asks why not.

Jul 15, 2025•11 min

Does violence on the screen really lead to violence off them?

Violence in movies and video games normalizes a culture of cruelty says Dr. Henry Giroux, a leading voice on education, media, and democracy. He says modern entertainment packages violence as a product, turning brutality into something exciting, routine, and even justified. Dr Giroux explains how the normalization of violence doesn't just dull us to suffering, it weakens democratic values and discourages us from thinking critically about the world around us.

Jul 14, 2025•21 min

The pros and cons of weight loss drugs

Dr Chaey Leem is an obesity doctor, so he knows all about the challenges of losing weight. He joins us to answer listener's questions about weight loss drugs.

Jul 14, 2025•27 min

The Kerikeri couple proving that age really is just a number.

Kerikeri couple Sophia and Bob Warren have become the first over-70s world champions in the sport of Hyrox. The competition combines running and strength activities. What makes this story even more remarkable is that the couple only got into the sport six months ago.

Jul 14, 2025•10 min
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