Ed Simon is an essayist, author, and the Editor-in-Chief for Belt Magazine, and he talks to Jim Mora about his latest work, 'Relic: Object Lessons':  a series of short books about the hidden lives of ordinary things.

Mary Argue is back guiding us through the latest weird and wonderful headlines from the world of science.

Dr Rick Neitzel is an exposure scientist at the University of Michigan, and he researches the regular noise exposure of 180,000 people.

New research out of a university in Ireland suggests that we set thermostats in our homes, if we have them, based on how warm or cold we were in the homes we grew up in, as children.

How much is too much when it comes to getting those stains out? We're joined by Dr Jack Chen, senior lecturer at AUT's faculty of Chemistry.

Renowned journalist, filmmaker, and author Jon Ronson revisits the his groundbreaking work, The Psychopath, in a live show at The Opera House, Wellington on Tuesday November 26.

Calling Home this week is with Ian Borthwick, a sports journalist and photographer in Paris. He talks to Jim about energy picking up in the city of lights ahead of the Olympics.

Mediawatch looks at what our media made of the government's new emissions plan - and how best to cover global climate change without pumping up people's despair. 

Numerous studies have shown that a cup of joe is good for the gut - but what's the best way to prepare it, and are some better than others? 

Our quiz master Jack Waley-Cohen is back for another Sunday Morning quiz. 

The world is waiting to see if US President Joe Biden will abandon his attempt to win a second term in the White House.

Anyone who lives with a dog, also lives with their hair - on their clothes, couch and every possible surface. It's about time we understand the science behind their coats and how to care for them properly.

The struggle for self-control is real, and one many of us are familiar with - but is 'will power' actually a myth?

MasterChef NZ 2022 winner, Cookbook author, and Instagram star, Sam Low made headlines this week for hosting a dinner party at his Auckland home for comedian/actress, Ali Wong.

An expert on North Korea, veteran foreign correspondent, Jean H. Lee, became the first American reporter granted extensive access on the ground in North Korea.

Long-serving New Zealand journalist, Martin van Beynen, looks back at his career.

Mediawatch looks at how our media reacted to the shocking news of the attempt on Donald Trump's life in Pennsylvania. And shortly before that news broke, Colin Peacock a look at the week's news and media live on Sunday Morning with Hayden Donnell - including how it panned out in the first week of Stuff’s ThreeNews, a change for TVNZ’s Re:News, a significant change in the government's stance on affordable housing - and horoscopes in the news.

Following Labour's landslide election victory, political economist, Observer columnist and author, Will Hutton joins us to discuss a way forward for the UK and his new book This Time No Mistakes: How to Remake Britain.

Calling Home this week is Grace Palmer. The Kiwi actor is currently living in Vancouver filming on the set of Fox TV's #1 sitcom 'Animal Control'. 

Self-described "financial force of nature," Hannah McQueen is a chartered accountant and founder of financial literacy company Enable Me. 

Icehouse is one of Australia's best-known and beloved rock bands. 

You only get 15 minutes at the GP, so how do you make the most of it? 

Kris Edwards has been working in Commercial Radio for 37 years. He also has Cerebral Palsy. 

BBC commentator Henry Moeran is absolutely ecstatic - England has made it through to the Euro 2024 semi-finals, beating Switzerland on penalties after a 1-1 draw in extra time.

Last Friday the curtain came down on Newshub at 6 - and more than 30 years of nightly news made at the TV channel Three. But the next day the new 6pm bulletin by Stuff launched in its place. Mediawatch takes a look at its debut - and asks the question: what do people want from the 6pm TV news these days anyway?

Most of us will have enjoyed 'people watching' at some point - as we waited for a bus or sipped a cuppa in a cafe - wondering about strangers who walk past.

The World's Ugliest Dog competition has been held for nearly 50 years.

John Connell was an investigative journalist, documentary maker and author of multiple bestsellers when the creative well ran dry. 

This July, New Zealanders are being asked to raise money for Coastguard NZ by nominating a distance they think they can swim during the month and asking friends, family and colleagues to sponsor them. The Big Swim will ensure we can enjoy our waters safely - including boaties, kayakers, paddle boarders and jet skiers.

Long-term fatigue is often paired with debilitating chronic pain - and its effects have been underplayed for too long. Hamish Wilson and John Douglas Dunbar join Bryan to discuss the growing understanding of the neurological effects on pain in the wake of Covid-19 and how this is providing sufferers with optimism.

Kelly Francis founded charitable trust Whenua Warrior in 2017 to address food security and make edible gardens accessible to all. 

Science writer Amorina Kingdon's new book explores how underwater animals use sound to survive.

Poet and musician Hinemoana Baker is calling home on the eve of her return to Aotearoa. 

Annie Goldson’s film Refuge: A Duty to Care is screening at this year’s Doc Edge Film Festival. 

Deke Sharon was music director for the three Pitch Perfect movies and is credited with modernising contemporary acapella singing. 

Aucklander and ReliefAid founder Mike Seawright is on the ground in Ukraine where he is overseeing aid distribution operations in Kharkiv. 

The pressure on referees comes from all angles - but has the vitriol directed at officials reached a tipping point, turning potential referees away from taking charge of grassroots rugby and football matches? 

The number of cases of people with high blood pressure is growing. The recommendation from health professionals is to curb the amount of salt in our diets. 

New research suggests traits related to ADHD could have given humans an evolutionary advantage when foraging for food. 

There is evidence using mouthwash containing alcohol can cause cancer, promoted by new research from the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp, Belgium. 

Mary Argue is back guiding us through the latest weird and wonderful headlines from the world of science.

Repetitive tasks or habits fill our lives and while these routines might seem mundane, they can be beneficial in the long run. 

Hailing from Cambridge, Waikato, Grace Lewis now lives just across the Hudson River from the Big Apple, in Jersey City. 

Pundits have predicted the death of old-fashioned newspapers for years - but they're still here. 

Chemist Michelle Wong is our Sunday Morning beauty science regular. 

Our quiz master Jack Waley-Cohen is back for another Sunday Morning quiz. 

President Joe Biden and former president Donald Trump face off in their first debate of the 2024 election cycle later this month.

Greg Barclay has chaired the International Cricket Council (ICC) since 2020 and was formerly chair of New Zealand Cricket.

Science journalist and Sunday Morning regular, David Robson, joins us to talk about his latest book, The Laws of Connection. 

Mary Argue is back guiding us through the latest weird and wonderful headlines from the world of science.

Richard Heydarian is a global affairs specialist at the University of Philippines in Manila and is currently in New Zealand. 

Last year, Princess Anne was named the hardest-working member of the Royal Family after carrying out 457 engagements.

What approach would you take against a swarm of killer zombies? Michael Totten is a writer who has explored this apocalyptic eventuality.

How the media copped criticism for reporting allegations of personal data misused for political purposes - and the struggle to get meaningful responses from official sources. Also: the popularity of an ultra-long local podcast contradicts assumptions about short attention spans - and how one journalist's trip to his local cafe ended up as national news.

Comedian Ed Byrne is returning to NZ with his new show, Tragedy Plus Time. That was Mark Twain's definition of humour. Ed mines a tragedy in his own life for the show's material. 

Our quiz master Jack Waley-Cohen is back for another Sunday Morning quiz.

Nearly 90 countries and organizations will be attending the Swiss-hosted Ukraine peace summit over the weekend. 

Genetics matter less the older you get, says a study out of the University of California. What are the implications of that for us? How should we use that information? Dr Peter Sudmant is an integrative biology professor who runs the Sudmant Lab at UC Berkeley.

Dr Lee Alan Dugatkin is a distinguished professor of biology at the University of Louisville, and the author of various books. His interests are in the areas of animal behaviour and evolution, and his books include How to Tame a Fox and Build a Dog, and the much-praised 'Visionary Scientists and a Siberian Tale of Jump-Started Evolution', which was described by the New York Times as "Sparkling ... a story that is part science, part Russian fairy tale, and part spy thriller." Lee's newest book is The Well-Connected Animal: Social Networks and the Wondrous Complexity of Animal Societies.

Mary Argue is back guiding us through the latest weird and wonderful headlines from the world of science.

Georgia Lines won Breakthrough Artist of the Year at the 2022 Aotearoa Music Awards, while her EP Human - released the following year - has been streamed millions of times. Her debut album, The Rose of Jericho, was released on Friday along with lead single Grand Illusion. Georgia joins Jim to discuss the creative process behind her new music which was written over a two-year period and recorded in two weeks.

Imagine being able to remember every single day of your life from the present day to a decade, two decades ago, or even further. 

Christel Nielsen's research focuses on how chemicals in our environment affect our health - including the chemicals which make up tattoos. 

Regional reporting cut back for NZME's new national focus; sports news that was too late - and too early; the controversy over cancer treatment funding missing from the Budget,can we trust surveys of our media which say we don't trust them?

What would you call somebody blocking a supermarket aisle with their trolley while you go about your business? 

Would you be more likely to buy a Lotto ticket for a $50 million draw or a ticket where you had ten chances to win $5 million?

Our quiz master Jack Waley-Cohen is back for another Sunday Morning quiz. Jack is the mind behind the questions on BBC quiz show 'Only Connect' which is known for being both difficult to crack and totally obvious. It's Sunday morning, so wake up your brain and have a go!

According to a new worldwide review of evidence, "blue light" before bed doesn't seem to have a significant impact on sleep. 

Jeffrey Halley is Sunday Morning's man on the money. 

New Zealanders are worried about the rising cost of living meaning they're choosing to go without certain luxuries, according to a new poll conducted by Research New Zealand. Research New Zealand managing partner Emanuel Kalafatelis joins Jim to dissect the data.

Mary Argue is back guiding us through the latest weird and wonderful headlines from the world of science.

The adulation once directed at film stars is now being thrust upon pop stars.

The popular Myers-Briggs Type Indicator test sorts test takers into 16 different personality categories depending on their answers. 

Nick Hunt is a travel writer who has published three books about walking in various parts of Europe.

Slate's Cleo Levin asks why increasing numbers of dogs have been given "human" names.

Long-running bid to make big tech pay for news hits a snag - so what happens next?; stories based on stats sliced from surveys; shock horror over incomplete houses.

Monty Python's Eric Idle is bringing his show Always Look on the Bright Side of Life, Live! to New Zealand in October. 

Our quiz master Jack Waley-Cohen is back for another Sunday Morning quiz. 

The latest from New York from our correspondent Mitch McCann.

After almost 40 years of creating literacy tools for children all over the world, Dame Wendy Pye has written her memoir TEACHING THE WORLD TO READ - My multi-million dollar story covering her life, from growing up on a farm in the outback of Western Australia, her work with world leaders, to the refugee camps of Lebanon and the savannah of South Africa.

Mary Argue is back guiding us through the latest weird and wonderful headlines from the world of science.

A trial involving mice suggest the keto diet might accelerate organ ageing, which would raise the risk of conditions like heart disease, cancer and type 2 diabetes. However, switching mice back to a standard diet decreased senescent cells. 

How do random events impact the bigger events in our lives and the history of the world? 

According to most medical professionals there's no inherent health benefit from showering daily - in fact it can even be bad for you, drying out your skin and undermining your immune system. But should we really all skip the wash? 

New Zealand's big awards for journalists were given out this week at a time when many are losing their jobs. Also - Mediawatch talks to an editor who has secured the future of two important medical magazines in tight times - and looks at coverage of the A-League scandal that's posed some awkward questions with reputations at stake.

There are very few people in the world who don't know the name Bruce Lee, but according to his daughter Shannon, not many knew the man.

Our Quiz master Jack Waley-Cohen is back for another Sunday Morning quiz. Jack is the mind behind the questions on BBC quiz show 'Only Connect' which is known for being both difficult to crack and totally obvious. It's Sunday morning, so wake up your brain and have a go!

For the latest on People v. Trump we're joined once again by our U.S. correspondent Karen Kasler, the Statehouse Bureau Chief for public radio and television in Ohio.

Time heals all wounds, the saying goes, but our thoughts play a rather important part in determining how long that recovery time is.

Deo Kato is an ultra/trail runner, coach, and activist currently running the length of Africa.

Mary Argue is back guiding us through the latest weird and wonderful headlines from the world of science.

Our Quiz master Jack Waley-Cohen is back for another Sunday Morning quiz. Jack is the mind behind the questions on BBC quiz show 'Only Connect' which is known for being both difficult to crack and totally obvious. It's Sunday morning, so wake up your brain and have a go!

Tania Branigan spent seven years as The Guardians China correspondent and was stationed in Beijing during the Cultural Revolution - where at least two million people died.

We're heading to Hollywood today. Thomas Powers is a Kiwi living in LA.

A long-running plan to reform the oversight of our media has come to a sudden halt; how public toilets suddenly became political this week.

New Zealand's biggest film festival is back for its 18th year. 'The French Film Festival Aotearoa' launches on the 30th of May and will run across the country throughout June.

Dr Michelle Wong is a cosmetic chemist and science communicator who runs the popular Lab Muffin Beauty Science blog where she tests skin products - turning her into a global beauty influencer. She's here to answer our burning questions about the latest and greatest - or not so great - of the beauty world.

Dr Ali Hill from Otago University's Department of Human Nutrition is back on Sunday Morning again. This time we're digesting the five-a-day advice - and if we're heeding it.

Fabric-a-brac is a fabric and sewing market that brings the sewing community together to buy and sell with all profits going to local hospices. Josie Brennan joins us to tell us more.

Mary Argue is back guiding us through the latest weird and wonderful headlines from the world of science.

It's been nearly 20 years since the researchers, Michelle Ryan and Alexander Haslam, documented a phenomenon they called the glass cliff. 

With a reported 46,000 aircraft citing sat-nav problems over the Baltic Sea between August and March, suspected Russian GPS "jamming" is now being considered a major threat to air safety. 

Uma Naidoo, is a Harvard Nutritional Psychiatrist, professional chef, and nutritional biologist. 

Ashia Ismail-Singer's family story has branches from Africa to India, the Middle east, France, the UK and New Zealand.

Pre-budget teasers increase exposure - and scrutiny; Green MP under pressure over conduct; bid to backstop local news; Gaza coverage attract complaints - and prizes.

On your side, your back or your front - the position in which you nod off is having an impact on your health. 

Quiz master Jack Waley-Cohen is back for another Sunday Morning quiz. 

We're joined by Rich Preston, Senior BBC foreign news journalist and presenter across BBC World TV and the BBC World Service.

The Kingdom of Lochac is a regional branch of the Society for Creative Anachronism.  They're celebrating their Autumn Coronation this weekend in Christchurch. 

Mary Argue is back guiding us through the latest weird and wonderful headlines from the world of science

How blinking can help your sight and why scientists think worsening vision can predict dementia. 

We catch up with journalist and author. Naomi Arnold who’s walking Te Araroa.

Jim asks actor Mark Hadlow if someone’s choice of Shakespeare play gives any clues as to their character

Animal behaviorist Mark Vette joins us with advice on how to negotiate the practical and emotional aspects of health spending for our animal companions. 

Originally from Manawatu, Jack Royd-Hall is calling home from Tallin, Estonia.

One opinion poll prompts intense political pushback; new report urges sweeping changes to media, law and funding - and fast; Wairoa Star closes after more than a century in print.

 A new study suggests attachment style could be a major factor. We're joined by Geoff MacDonald, PhD, one of the study's authors.

It’s Sunday morning, so wake up your brain and have a go!   

Dr Richard Webby is a prominent infectious diseases researcher at St Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.

Can a latecomer to health and fitness undo decades of inactivity, excess and intemperance? Journalist Phil Daoust explores his options in a new column, Fit for ever, in The Guardian.

Suhasini Raj is a New York Times reporter based in New Delhi.

We're joined once again by Dr. Alpdogan Kantarci, a faculty member at the Harvard University School of Dental Medicine and senior member of staff at the Forsyth Institute, an independent research institute that on the connections between oral health and overall wellness.

David Robson is an award-winning science writer specialising in the extremes of the human brain, body and behaviour.

In the film THE WAY, MY WAY, film and documentary producer and director, Bill Bennett tells the true story of his 800-kilometre-long pilgrimage along the Camino de Santiago route through Spain based on his best-selling memoir of the same name.

The Axis Chord Progression is a run of four chords named after Aussie music-comedy trio Axis Of Awesome.

New media minister rolls in after PM's surprise reshuffle; TV news and current affairs on the way down here, but highly competitive across the Tasman.

Mary Argue is back guiding us through the latest weird and wonderful headlines from the world of science.

Quiz master Jack Waley-Cohen joins us once again as our Sunday Morning question master.

American University's distinguished professor of history, Alan Lichtman has accurately predicted the US presidential contest since 1982.

Frances Manwaring refuses to accept that we age out of visibility. Her latest book, 'Never Succumb to Beige' is not only a personal philosophy, but a rallying cry to those who fear becoming invisible as they get older.

Mary Argue is back guiding us through the latest weird and wonderful headlines from the world of science including the many universes that could be created with every decision we make - among other things.

Best known for his screen work on the likes of Shortland Street, Outrageous Fortune, Nothing Trivial, and Mercy Peak, writer Gavin Strawhan joins us to talk about his debut crime novel centered on a 501-deportee gang, set in a remote coastal New Zealand town.

Quiz master Jack Waley-Cohen is back for another Sunday Morning quiz.

Award winning author, food blogger, Lucy Corry joins us for another foodie catch-up. She wants to reinstate muffins to their former glory...and will stop at MUFFIN!

Award-winning historical documentary producer and writer Jude Dobson, shares the incredible story of Phyllis "Pippa" Latour, who parachuted into occupied France in 1944 as an undercover agent.

LA locals have access to steak and cheese pies, flat whites and fresh fruit ice cream, curtesy of the New Zealand themed 'Ponsonby Road Cafe'.

Stuff is taking over Newshub's 6pm TV news. A bold move for an outfit that's never been a broadcaster before. Will it work? Also: Mediawatch talks to two editors about the latest survey showing another alarming slump in New Zealanders' trust in the news.

Dutch architect, Koen Olthuis has set his sights on the worlds rapidly rising sea levels - not on battling these forces but harnessing them as the basis for a new architectural revolution - water-architecture.

Waikato University's International Law professor Alexander Gillespie joins us with analysis of the latest developments worldwide.

Iran has launched dozens of drones and missiles at Israel, in an attack that may trigger a major escalation between the regional archenemies. Iran's Revolutionary Guard confirmed it has targeted specific places in Israel. Iran had vowed retaliation for what it called an Israeli strike on its Damascus consulate on April 1 that killed seven Revolutionary Guards officers including two senior commanders. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied responsibility for the attack. The United States is pledging to back Israel. Waikato University's International Law professor Alexander Gillespie gives us his analysis of the escalating situation.

Six people are confirmed dead after a knife attack on Saturday at Sydney's Westfield Bondi Junction shopping centre. We speak to ABC correspondent Joe Hathaway-Wilson.

Ophthalmologist Stephen Best can work modern-day miracles. For the past 25 years, the glaucoma specialist has removed cataracts, prevented blindness, and restored sight to hundreds, if not thousands of people. 

Ketamine - an anaesthetic drug primarily developed as a horse tranquiliser - is also known to be a powerful psychedelic. 

'Should I Stay or Should I Go?' is not confined to The Clash's back catalogue, it's a dilemma we face constantly. 

RNZ producer, Mary Argue, has been reading all the headlines - so you don't have to. She'll discuss everything from the expansion of the universe, the usefulness of beta-blockers, and the debate about AI robot butlers - should they be bipedal?

New Zealand athlete Maia Ramsden is calling home from Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA where she studies at Harvard University.

In a shock move after 31 years in the industry, fashion designer Kate Sylvester is walking away from the eponymous brand. 

AUDIO: Mediawatch for 14 April 2024 (in WEB HOLD folder of CoStar) DURATION: TEXT for WEBPAGE: End of TV news as we know it? TVNZ cuts back and Newshub closes down. Newshub's news boss responds; the minister plays for time; a former minister fights back

A cellist is not the first person that springs to mind when you think: Rebel. But Hauser, the classical world's answer to Cher, is just that. 

Quiz master Jack Waley-Cohen joins us once again as our Sunday Morning question master. 

In 2019, under extreme scrutiny for his relationship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, and facing allegations about his own conduct, Prince Andrew sat down for the infamous interview with BBC's Newsnight. 

British journalist and former Labour party senior advisor Tom Baldwin is the author of a new biography Sir Kier Starmer: The Unexpected Rise. Sir Keir has become a pivotal figure in British politics. A lawyer by trade, his ascent to the leadership of the Labour Party surprised many. But what makes this man tick? What are the experiences that have shaped his political views and his approach to leadership? Baldwin's book sheds new light on Starmer's formative years, his legal career, and his often-underrated political acumen. Tom joins Jim Mora to explore the influences that have driven Sir Keir, the challenges he's faced, and the path that led him to the helm of the Labour Party.

Chris Conway is a volcanologist based in Tsukuba City. Chris works at the Geological Survey of Japan specialising in chemical volcanology. He studies the composition of volcanic rocks and minerals to understand the processes and timescales of magma formation and eruption. Before moving to Japan Chris grew up in Wellington's Lyall Bay obtaining his degree and later PhD at the cities Victoria University. Chris loves his life in Japan but does have one complaint "things generally aren't built for tall people."

RNZ producer, Ayana Piper-Healion, has been reading all the headlines - so you don’t have to.  

Lucy Prebble, the BAFTA, Golden Globe, and Emmy award-winning writer behind HBO's drama Succession, talks about her play, The Effect.

We talk to an editor keeping an eye on where public money for public services ends up and the government’s new political action plan gets the media’s attention.

Quiz master Jack Waley-Cohen joins us once again as our Sunday Morning question master. 

Nearly 1000 British sub-postmasters were wrongly prosecuted or convicted of theft, false accounting and fraud, due to a faulty computer system. The story of the scandal is told in the TV drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office. Alan Bates joins Jim.

Habituation is a neurological process which helps us to adapt to new environments keeping ready to reap any benefits or negate any hazards. Tali Sharot is a professor of cognitive neuroscience at University College London and the co-author of Look Again: The power of noticing what was always there. She believes there are benefits to seeing the things we are used to in a fresh light

Whether an individual is stuck under rubble or has just wandered off the beaten track, it's more than likely the search and rescue team will be using the work of Robert J.Koester to locate the missing person. He's a world leading search and rescue expert and the author of numerous books, including the seminal 'Lost Person Behavior' which has become the go-to guide for planning search and rescue missions around the world. Robert J.Koester joins Jim Mora to discuss his life's work.

International best-selling author Stacy Gregg has just released two new books for children and pre-teens. 'The Easter Bunny Hunt' is inspired by the adventures of her own cat and dog. And for pre-teens 'Nine Girls' is based on Gregg's own upbringing in Ngaruawahia, set in the political tumult of the 1980's. Stacy chats with Jim about the inspiration behind her new works and what she has planned for her Easter Sunday.

While there's no denying our lives have become better in many ways thanks to the internet and smartphones - genuine human interaction has dropped drastically, leaving society at large in an epidemic of loneliness. Dystopian sci-fi classic 'The Matrix' came out 25 years ago, yet Dan Weijers argues its themes are more relevant now than ever before. Dan Weijers is a senior lecturer in philosophy at the University of Waikato.

Gabrielle review lessons for media; Dolphin drama fires up media.

RNZ producer, Mary Argue, has been reading all the headlines - so you don't have to. She'll discuss everything from how useful a degree is in the modern world to what to eat before a colonoscopy.

Quiz master Jack Waley-Cohen joins us once again as our Sunday Morning question master. Jack is the mind behind the questions on BBC quiz show Only Connect which is known for being both difficult to crack and totally obvious. It's Sunday morning, so wake up your brain and have a go!

Maungaturoto locals, Juleigh Parker and Peter Gray are calling home from the USA. They're taking on the Great Loop in their vessel, Plenty. The Great Loop is a system of waterways that encompasses the eastern portion of the United States and part of Canada. The entire loop stretches almost 10,000 km covering the Atlantic Ocean, the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River.

Professor Alp Kantarci helps people understand mouth health and lead healthy lives. He speaks to Jim. 

California-based Derek Guy has made a name for himself via his X, formerly Twitter, account where he comments on menswear and popular culture. 

Dr Ali Hill from Otago University's Department of Human Nutrition is back on Sunday Morning again. This week she speaks to Jim about heart health and whether intermittent fasting is worth it.

April Phillips joins Jim to discuss the life and music of Frank Sinatra and to hear some of his most iconic work. 

Coronation Street star Rula Lenksa is coming to New Zealand to star in the stage version of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. 

Award winning author and food blogger Lucy Corry discusses some tasty meal and snack ideas for when the shorter nights draw in.

Mediawatch looks at the fallout from Winston Peters' criticism of the media in his State of The Nation speech.

Former Olympic rower Tony Brook was a member of the gold medal-winning eight-seater team at the 1982 World Rowing Championships in Switzerland. 

Quiz master Jack Waley-Cohen joins us once again as our Sunday Morning question master. 

The Princess of Wales is receiving adjuvant chemotherapy for a cancerous condition that emerged after her abdominal operation.

Following Professor David McAlpine's chat with Jim last week, so many of you got in touch with questions we've asked him back.

Dr Ali Hill from Otago University's Department of Human Nutrition is back. She looks at the different types of salt available and assesses their nutritional benefits.

Research NZ have been asking New Zealanders about the importance of having a choice of television channels for news and current affairs and how important it was to have news on television compared with online and other digital platforms.

The band Skindred have just won Best Alternative Act at the 2024 MOBO Awards - MOBO standing for Music Of Black Origin.

Aucklander, Zara DuCrôs, has been living and studying acting in New York for the last three years. When she's not busy auditioning, she works as a children's birthday party entertainer. From gorgeous penthouses on the Upper East Side, to secret Naval bases, she's entertained kids around New York as everything from a Disney princess to a clown.

With the second part of Denis Villeneuve's film franchise of Frank Herbert's fantasy novel, Dune, currently in cinemas, we ask if the fictional worms in the movie share anything in common with real worms.

There has been such a lot of talk about steps in the last decade… but how many should we take for health?

Six-time grammy award winner, James Taylor, speaks with Jim Mora about his life and career ahead of his one-off New Zealand show 'An Evening with James Taylor and His All-Star Band' set for April.

What will government do about the great TV news meltdown?; Stuff deploys AI for DIY news.

Eliezer Yudkowsky, artificial intelligence researcher, decision theorist and co-founder of Machine Intelligence Research Institute, has a stark warning that we're moving too fast in the field of AI.

Quiz master Jack Waley-Cohen joins us once again as our Sunday Morning question master.

BBC senior reporter, Rich Preston, joins Jim to discuss the Royal families' photo doctoring blunder and the latest on Andrew Tate's extradition to the UK.

Entertainment journalist, New Zealander Liam McEwan will be reporting from the Vanity Fair Oscar party this weekend. He joins us from his home in Los Angeles ahead of the big event.

Victoria University of Wellington Professor of Psychology, Dr Marc Wilson joins us once again looking at how we decide if life is "good enough" without resorting to therapy, medication or drugs & alcohol to improve it.

Noise cancelling devices are big business, and it's no surprise with excess noise exposure linked not only to hearing loss but even increased risk of cardiovascular disease and depressive symptoms. But it turns out too much noise reduction comes with its own warnings.

Six years spent on board the exclusive private residential ship for millionaires, 'The World', served as the real-life inspiration for former resident turned author, Peter Antonucci.

TVNZ has proposed big cuts to news that could leave the country with only one daily TV news bulletin and almost no current affairs on TV within weeks.

Doctor turned young adult writer and now adult fiction writer, Eileen Merriman, has a new book out, 'The Night She Fell'.

Quiz master Jack Waley-Cohen joins us once again.

Jackie Stewart is widely regarded as one of the greatest Formula 1 drivers of all time. Following his wife, Helen's diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia, Sir Jackie founded the global charity Race Against Dementia, to fund pioneering research into the prevention and cure of dementia.

Timothy Heath is a senior international defense researcher at the RAND Corporation. In a recent paper, argued that to understand the risks involved in superpower competition between the US and China, we must understand that we now live in what the authors describe as a "neomedieval era."

The Secrets They Kept is the debut novel by 85-year-old former editor of the NZ Woman's Weekly, Jenny Lynch. The story of a young woman's quest to discover the truth about her mother's unexplained death - and her own identity.

Statehouse News Bureau chief Karen Kasler joins us ahead of Super Tuesday, the day when the largest number of US States hold their Presidential Primary elections. Former president Donald Trump is once again the leading republican candidate. His only challenger, former Govenor of South Carolina Nikki Haley currently trails him by almost 100 delegates. This is even though according to Ms Haley's spokeswomen "There are 70% of Americans who don't want another Biden-Trump rematch and 60% of Americans who think Biden and Trump are both too old".

Royal biographer Ingrid Seward joins us to unpick the relationship between King Charles III and his mother the late Queen Elizabeth II. With her unparalleled access and deep understanding of the monarchy, Seward delves into the intricate dynamics of this pivotal relationship within the royal family offering unprecedented insights into the bond between mother and child. Her latest book "My Mother & I" is out now via Simon & Schuster.

On the weekend of March 23rd of SailGP returns to Whakaraupo, Lyttleton Harbour. With the New Zealand team currently in second place just behind Australia, a home win could see them sail to the top of the leaderboard. Legendary sailing duo, best mates Peter Burling (Co-CEO and Driver) and Blair Tuke (Co-CEO and Wing Trimmer) join Jim to talk about life on the waves, and to pick their best sailing song of all time.

For years news media bosses warned the creaking business model backing journalism would fail at a major local outlet. It finally happened this week when Newshub’s owners proposed scrapping it. Then TVNZ posted losses prompting warnings of more cuts to come there. Can TV broadcasters pull a crowd without news? And what might the so-far ambivalent government do?

A study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine suggests isometric exercises like wall sitting (or wall squats) help reduce blood pressure more effectively than other forms of exercise - including weight training, high-intensity intervals (HIIT), and simple aerobic movements. Dr Jim Wiles is principal lecturer at Canterbury Christ Church University in the UK. He joins Jim on Sunday Morning to discuss the study and whether we should all be incorporating the wall sit into our routines.

Quiz master Jack Waley-Cohen joins us once again as our Sunday Morning question master. Jack is the mind behind the questions on BBC quiz show Only Connect which is known for being both difficult to crack and totally obvious. It's Sunday morning, so wake up your brain and have a go!

Boeing 737 Maxes with loose bolts; on one plane a door plug blew out, leaving a hole in the side of the aircraft. Airbuses too with problems, one only remedied because a passenger noticed four missing screws on the plane's wing. Statistically we're told that being in a plane is 19 times safer than being in a car. Is that still true? Shawn Pruchnicki is a former airline pilot who's now a professor of aviation safety at Ohio State University .

Mike Seawright founded the international humanitarian organisation ReliefAid whose work also continues in Gaza, Syria, and Afghanistan. He joins Jim. 

Ralph McTell joins Jim to talk about his six-decade-long career including his knack for songwriting, life on the road, and rubbing shoulders with Jimi Hendrix, Sly Stone and Tom Waits. 

Dr. Amanda Kvalsvig received her first cochlear implant in Christchurch. She joins us for a very special edition of "What I'm Listening To". 

Dr Alycia Fong Yang joins Jim to explain why we should be hitting the dancefloor over the gym.

Quiz master Jack Waley-Cohen joins us once again as our Sunday Morning question master.

In a recent article for The Times, science editor Tom Whipple pondered what he'd spend his money on if he became infinitely wealthy. He joins Jim. 

Government 'resets' immigration and welfare; another way to make Google and Facebook to pay for journalism; media milk Kiwi Swifties' stadium FOMO.

This week's Calling Home guest is Frank Cawkwell who has swapped the Far North town of Maungaturoto for the tropical Caribbean.

Dr Jack Watling looks back at two years of brutal warfare and considers what any future opportunities for peace might look like.

 Award-winning science writer David Robson joins Jim to discuss the latest research into the "perfect face".

Goodnature co-founder and ethical pest control expert Craig Bond joins us on the show to share his top tips for keeping your home - or supermarket! - rat free.

Dr Nick Fuller from the University of Sydney joins Jim to discuss weight loss trends. 

Auckland's transport turmoil reports lack full facts; publishers pitch to Parliament to make Google and Facebook pay for their news.

Lucy Corry joins us to discuss Salamagundi - a type of "composed salad" which can include vegetables, meat, seafood, eggs, fruits and pickles. 

Quiz master Jack Waley-Cohen joins us once again as our Sunday Morning question master.   

California-based Barbara Rae-Vener is a pioneer in the field of genetic genealogy and her work played a crucial role in identifying Joseph James DeAngelo as the Golden State Killer.

For over thirty years Rangahau Aotearoa Research New Zealand has helped dozens of government and not-for-profit organisations understand what Aotearoans are thinking across a range of social issues. In the lead up to Waitangi Day they conducted a nationally representative survey to uncover people's key issues of concern. Research NZ managing partner Emanuel Kalafatelis joins Jim to discuss the surprising results.

An estimated 30-40% of the global population suffer from allergies, be they hay, peanut, lactose or something less common. That's billions of people, and the number just keeps rising. According to Medical anthropologist and Associate Professor at the Stevens Institute of Technology Theresa MacPhail " Our very old immune systems can't keep up with modern lifestyles and diets. In her book Allergic: Our Irritated Bodies in a Changing World Theresa examines the mostly unwanted phenomenon that has us sneezing, coughing, and carrying around epi-pens. She joins Jim Mora to discuss: What are allergies? Why do we have them? And is there anything we can do about it?

Lorena Fernández de la Cruz is a Senior Researcher and Docent Professor at Sweden's Karolinska Institutet, where she leads the Health Consequences and Lifestyle Modification group. Her recent study into OCD revealed that people with the condition are 82% more likely to die earlier than the general population. The study, which looked at 60,000 Swedish people with OCD, comparing them to the non-OCD general population found that for those with OCD the mean age of death is 69 years, whilst the non-OCD population lived to a mean age of 78. Lorena joins Jim to explain the results of the study.

In 2010 Chris Bruerton left a teaching job he loved at Burnside High School in Christchurch, to pursue his dream of becoming a professional singer in the UK.

Force Of Nature: The Dry 2 is in cinemas now. The follow up to the hugely successful The Dry sees five women taking part in a corporate hiking retreat with only four coming out the other side. Australian actor Eric Bana stars as detective Aaron Falk who heads off into the Victorian mountain ranges to get to investigate the disappearance. Filmed on location Eric described filming as "pretty brutal" & "a real physical challenge to cast and crew", but ultimately worthwhile. "We really loved being where we were, once you took the leeches out." He joins Jim Mora to discuss his formidable career, acting techniques and his latest role.

Waitangi tensions test politicians - and the media; Why is Sky screening more top-dollar sport for free?

Dr Zazie Todd, Sunday Morning's go-to expert on both cats and dogs joins us once again with more scientific, pragmatic and joyful ways to lead happy lives with our pets. She's the award-winning author of Wag: The Science of Making Your Dog Happy and Purr: The Science of Making Your Cat Happy. She's the creator of the popular blog, Companion Animal Psychology, and she's currently putting the finishing touches to a book on fear and anxiety in dogs, due out this year.

Quiz master Jack Waley-Cohen joins us once again as our Sunday Morning question master. Jack is the mind behind the questions on BBC quiz show Only Connect which is known for being both difficult to crack and totally obvious. It's Sunday morning, so wake up your brain and have a go!

Most of us who took some time off over the holidays will be getting back into the swing of things by now. But why are we feeling so tired? Professor Ian Hickie, Co-Director of Health and Policy at The University of Sydney's Brain and Mind Centre says that it is not just Kiwis and Australians that are feeling burnt out.

Songstress Ali Harper is currently starring in production The Supper Club at Circa Theatre in Wellington - which is taking audiences back in time to the glitz of the 1920s. The production, directed by Ian Harman and soundtracked by bandleader Tom McLeod, features songs from the glamorous twenties through to the present day The star of the show Ali Harper joins Jim on Sunday Morning to tell us all about the production which runs until 17 February.

Following a huge response to her chat last week, Dr Ali Hill from Otago University's Department of Human Nutrition joins us once again to answer your questions on the different cooking oils, their benefits and how to make the most of them.

Will Stone is a health and science reporter at NPR - he joins Jim on Sunday Morning to discuss the keto diet. 

Our U.S. correspondent Karen Kasler has the latest from the ongoing election campaign.

South China Morning Post journalist Lisa Cam joins Jim to discuss some unique Chinese New Year traditions.

Only Connect quiz master Jack Waley-Cohen was such a hit over the summer that we've invited him back as our resident Sunday Morning question master. 

Daniel O'Donnell joins Jim to discuss his first New Zealand tour since 2017. 

The Steiner family call home from Morocco and talk to Jim about their non-stop travels and the people they have met along the way.

This week on Mediawatch, does bad news about the economy trump good news? The end of the line for goneburger? 

Music 101 host Charlotte Ryan spoke to Jim about music journalism's shifting sands.

British stand-up comedian Russell Howard is currently on a nine-date Aotearoa tour and dropped into the RNZ Auckland studio to talk to Jim.

Former RNZ Maori news editor Jamie Tahana joins us with the latest headlines from London.

Technology journalist for the LA Time, Brian Merchant joins us to talk about his book Blood in the Machine and his thinking around how we respond to the current moment of AI job automation.

Dr Ali Hill from Otago University's Department of Human Nutrition joins us once again. In her first chat of 2024, Ali looks at different cooking oils, their benefits and how to make the most of them.

Crystal Hefner, widow of Playboy founder Hugh Hefner opens up about life with the late tycoon in her new memoir, "Only Say Good Things: Surviving 'Playboy' and Finding Myself." The sex, the drugs, the misogyny, Crystal offers a vulnerable and clear-eyed look at her experience with arguably, one of the most influential men of the 20th century.

Calling Home this Sunday is Queenstown native Jaime Kruijer from the Winter sports destination of Revelstoke in British Columbia.

What you missed over summer: harmless sharks, woke worries, sewage smells and water woes flood the holiday news drought; media cop flak for coverage of Golriz Ghahraman's downfall.

For many of us oral health is a matter of shiny teeth and a nice smile, but science journalist, Jasmin Fox-Skelly has been drilling into the topic and it turns out there's vast array of viruses, fungi and bacteria living in our mouths - which, if kept in balance can prevent conditions from Alzheimer's disease to cancer.

Quiz master Jack Waley-Cohen was such a hit over the summer that we've invited him back as a regular Sunday Morning guest. Jack is the mind behind the questions on BBC's infamous quiz show 'Only Connect', known for being both really hard - and at the same time totally obvious. Wake up your brain and have a go!

New Zealander Dr Andrew Read is the director of its Institutes of Life Sciences at Pennsylvania State University. He works at the forefront of international research on Covid and specialises in the ways infectious diseases work, He joins us to explore the emergence of the JN1 variant, its worrying ability to target lung cells and what this means in a world of semi-immune populations.

Film buff and regular reviewer for RNZ Afternoons, Sam Hollis shares his top pick for festive film viewing.

The Bugman, naturalist, columnist and broadcaster, Ruud Kleinpaste takes a look all the creepie-crawlies lurking in out carpets, pantries and bedrooms.

Tamaki Makaurau-based, husband-wife duo Ra Charmian introduce us to their new single, 'Papatuanuku He Ataahua Koe' - which is a stunning te reo Maori interpretation of 'What a Wonderful World'. Band members, Ra Charmian Toia-Booth (Ngapuhi, Tainui) and Hayden Booth talk to Jim about how, having both lost their dads this year this track has helped them move through their grief.

Award-winning broadcaster, host of the BBC television series Grand Designs, writer, environmentalist, and storyteller, Kevin McCloud is coming to New Zealand in February for a series of special evening talks and discussions. He talks to Jim Mora about housing, his career and why he prefers New Zealand buildings to those in England.

Dr Michelle Wong a cosmetic chemist and science educator with a PhD in Medicinal Chemistry and runs the popular Lab Muffin Beauty Science blog. She joined us last week to talk about the science of skincare and so many of you got in touch with questions we've asked her back to answer them.

Covering news all over the country is a struggle for media companies dealing with rising costs and falling income. But some local outlets are surviving - and even thriving. Mediawatch's Hayden Donnel finds out who's doing the business in Horowhenua - and how they're doing it.

Award-winning food writer, author of Homecooked: Seasonal Recipes for Every Day and RNZ's Lifestyle & Entertainment editor, Lucy Corry, the Kitchenmaid has some has some excellent ideas for your festive tables this year including, the best roast potatoes and her very special Chilli Chocolate Pretzel Sandwiches.

Calling Home this morning is Brendon Johnston in the far North of Finland just below the arctic circle in a place called Ranua. Brendon lives with his partner Natalie, their two boys, and a howl of huskies.

Dozens of elite Russians have died in suspicious circumstances over the past few years in what the Sydney Morning Herald has called "a global murder mystery." Waikato University's International Law professor Alexander Gillespie is the author of the multi-volume series The Causes Of War and A History Of The Laws Of War. He speaks to Jim.

Jeffrey Halley is a Kiwi in Jakarta and Singapore who until recently was the senior market analyst for Asia Pacific for the OANDA corporation, with his analysis regularly sought by Bloomberg, the BBC, Reuters, CNBC, MSN, and the New York Times.

US journalist, novelist and playwright George Packer may be best known for his work in the New Yorker and The Atlantic regarding U.S. foreign policy, and for his book The Assassins' Gate: America in Iraq. The Unwinding: An Inner History of the New America, also won the National Book Award for Nonfiction. In his latest book, Last Best Hope: America in Crisis and Renewal, George considers diagnoses America's slide into a failed state, and envisions a path toward overcoming injustices, paralyses, and divides.

Last year, billionaire Elon Musk tweeted that population collapse due to low birth rates is a much bigger risk to civilization than global warming. It is a trend occurring in many countries and although fertility remains high in some regions. Today, close to half of the world's population lives in a country where lifetime fertility rates are below replacement levels - with New Zealand's fertility rate declining by about 25% per decade. Musk's view is shared by others who describe themselves as pronatalists, a movement of pro-birth activists. At the centre are Simone and Malcolm Collins. They are co-founders of nonprofit initiative pronatalist.org, podcasters and authors - who say the situation is a "demographic catastrophe." Yet for those whose only cultural reference point for a pronatalist society is 'The Handmaid's Tale' the ideas can seem problematic. Simone and Malcolm Collins join Jim to argue their case.

The international consensus is that one in ten people who get Covid will feel long-lasting effects. That would mean that of the 900 or so cases being reported every day in this resurgence we're experiencing, 100 people will not get over this virus anytime soon. Yale University's Dr Lisa Sanders is working hard to unravel the mysteries of Long Covid.

Parliamentary pomp and ceremony - but no honeymoon; 'From Paper to Platform'- media's online dependence; Todd Niall - local matters really matter

Fewer wrinkles, a fresher complexion and younger skin are sought by many, but what’s behind beauty industry hype?  Dr Michelle Wong is a science communicator who runs the popular Lab Muffin Beauty Science blog where she tests skin products – turning her into a global beauty influencer. Michelle is a cosmetic chemist and science educator with a PhD in Medicinal Chemistry. 

Calling Home this morning is Sarah Davison in Barcelona. People with long memories may remember her as Fiona Dalgleish who once starred in the popular TV show Country GP. Sarah went to Rangi Ruru Girls' School in Christchurch, then Canterbury University. At age 23 she set off to live in Europe. She was in London for 18 years, worked as a children's presenter on the BBC, acted, sang, narrated documentaries, and made language learning recordings for Oxford University Press. ah went to Rangi Ruru Girls' School in Christchurch, then Canterbury University, and at age 23 she set off to live in Europe. She was in London for 18 years, worked as a children's presenter on the BBC, acted, sang, narrated documentaries and made language learning recordings for Oxford University Press.

Martyn Craddock is the chief executive of United St Saviour's, the charity behind Appleby Blue, a new block of social housing for over-65s in Southwark, South London that's hoping to re-shape how we view housing for older people.

All Blacks Mental Skills Coach Gilbert Enoka, is moving on to on new pastures. 

You'll find planespotters camped out at most airports around the world watching incoming and outgoing aircraft.

Sebastian Faulks, worldwide bestselling author of Birdsong, is back with a new thriller, inspired, he tells us by a tweet from Richard Dawkins. 

Victoria University of Wellington Professor of Psychology, Dr Marc Wilson, joins us once again.

Claims of media 'bribery' derail new government on day one; politics shows off air just as politics hots up; mayor under pressure after rumour-based reports.

After our chat with Dr Ali Hill from Otago University's Department of Human Nutrition last week, many of you got in touch with questions. 

If there was life on other planets, what might it look like, and would they even bother coming to Earth? 

'I am Pilgrim' was a worldwide bestseller in 2013 and THE Christmas present of the year. Nine years later Terry Hayes, now 72, is gifting his readers a follow up: 'The Year of the Locust'. He returns to the world of intelligence with another spy novel, but this time with completely new characters. Hayes is a former journalist whose investigative work has led him to knock on the doors of the criminal underworld. His writing was noticed by the Mad Max film director in 1979, which led to a screenwriting career and a momentary, glamorous life in Hollywood. One million words later, Terry speaks to Jim.

Perhaps this year's letter to Santa will reap more benefit than just what's under the tree on Christmas morning. Daniel M. Oppenheimer is a professor of psychology at Carnegie Mellon University in the Department of Social and Decision Sciences. He discusses if the pen is indeed mightier than the laptop.

Anna Ptaszynsk joins Sunday Morning to tackle sport's weirdest rules, its most unlikely heroes, and promises to cover everything from pole-vaulting priests to professional pillow-fighting.

Most of us feel better once we get the blood pumping a bit, but are there exercises that work better for our mental health than others? Catherine de Lange is a science author, specialising in bioscience. She has written the book Brain Power: Everything you need to know for a healthy, happy brain. She digs into the science behind exercise and our mental health.

Parties seal the coalition deal to end long limbo for media; watchdog warns media laws need urgent upgrade; media tuning out of music journalism; Covid response reckons ramp up in inquiry season.

Dr Ali Hill from Otago University's Department of Human Nutrition joins us once again. This time she looks at the link between fructose and obesity and also the dangers of fried rice syndrome.

On Saturday, Kim Hill brought the curtain down on a 38-year career at RNZ. After making her name as an unparalleled interviewer, she switched places and let Sunday Morning's Jim Mora ask her questions.

Is life worth living after 90? Ask the experts! Writer Rachel McAlpine was shocked to the core when her GP predicted she would live to 99. Like most people, she had opinions about very old age but no experience. She asked local people in their 90s about their lives and found their revelations broke all the stereotypes. She also walked the footpaths of Wellington asking people how they see their life unfolding at 90. Her new play The Secret Lives of Extremely Old People erupted from those conversations.

Author Phillip Norman has written biographies of many musical greats including Mick Jagger, Elton John, and Eric Clapton. His books on the Beatles are considered by some as definitive. After biographies on John Lennon and Paul McCartney, he now tackles "the quiet one", George Harrison.

We find out what's in the headphones of New Zealand Golfer, Ben Campbell, after his win at the Hong Kong Open.

Once considered a fringe science, circadian rhythms have gone mainstream. Professor Russell Foster is the Director of the Sleep and Circadian Neuroscience Institute at the University of Oxford. His book Life Time: The New Science of the Body Clock, and How It Can Revolutionize Your Sleep and Health, has been a surprise best seller. Jim Mora finds out why.

Originally from Green Island, Dunedin, Sue McGregor speaks to us from Lusaka, the capital of Zambia. Sue (or Sister Sue as she's often known) initially thought she'd be there for a year. That was in 2004. She lives in the Presentation Sisters convent and works with people in the city affected by substance misuse.

If you want to make your life feel more meaningful, try seeing it as a hero's journey. Researchers have found that the hero's journey is not just for legends and superheroes, but that individuals can achieve greater well-being and resilience by 'restorying' their lives. Lead researcher Benjamin Rogers is an assistant professor in the Management and Organization department at Boston College's Carroll School of Management.

Media campaign of the century; producers push for tax on streamers; the legacy of a 'true newspaperman'.

As conflicts erupt around the world, the technology of war and warfare is evolving. Dr. Jack Watling is no stranger to Sunday Morning on RNZ. Senior Research Fellow for Land Warfare at the Royal United Services Institute, he has regularly provided his expert analysis on the war in Ukraine both from an academic perspective and as someone who has also served on the frontline. In his new book, The Arms of the Future, he examines the ways modern technology is reshaping the weapons of warfare.

High blood pressure has become a focus of attention in many quarters. The condition affects one-third of adult New Zealanders and disproportionately more Maori and Pacific people. It's the biggest risk factor for cardiovascular disease - the leading cause of death here and globally - and researchers are now studying its links to dementia in later life. Professor Julian Paton from the University of Auckland's Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences says it's clear we don't yet know everything about controlling high blood pressure, but his research aims to urgently find a new way.

With Armistice Day being marked across Europe and the World, we head to Christchurch where the period before, during and after New Zealand's involvement in World War I the city became a flashpoint for pro- and anti-war sentiment. In her book 'I Don't Believe in Murder': Standing up for peace in World War I Canterbury, local writer and historian Margaret Lovell-Smith tells the stories of the people who made Christchurch the leading city in the peace movement, and of the men who refused to fight, enduring imprisonment, hardships and loss of civil rights.

Mike Seawright is the Aucklander who was once an investment banker with a yacht. Then Mike discovered a new purpose in life - he founded the NZ charity ReliefAid, run by hard working volunteers on the ground here, and ReliefAid has also been on the ground in most of the major conflict and natural disaster situations we can think of over the past few years. Now Mike's team are on the ground in Gaza.

London based New Zealander Robinson introduces us to her sparkling new EP Chasing Nirvana. She chats to Jim about her songwriting, the approaching London winter, and finding her creative groove. She shares her newest. prettiest song yet with Sunday Morning, 'It's All Over You'.

Ex-Rangitoto College student Liam McEwan is calling home from Los Angeles, California. After humble beginnings at Flea FM in Devonport, he's now made a name for himself interviewing the stars. Elton, Ringo, Miley, and Ariana are among the A-Listers he's interviewed and is working on getting on a first name basis with. He shares his journey to the red carpet, his most memorable celebrity smiles and snubs, and the stars he'd most like to interview.

The Harley-Davidson motorcycle, the most polarising motorbike in the world and also the most legendary, made so by movies like Easy Rider in 1969. One of our most peripatetic writers has just put out a book about them. George Lockyer has already penned Long and Winding Aotearoa, Kiwi Garages, Tales and Trails Down Under and Living The Dream. Now comes Kiwis on Harleys, with stories of 27 New Zealanders who own, collect and sometimes race these noisy, misfiring but mighty machines

This week Mediawatch looks at how the media have followed the formation of the next government going on behind closed doors.   Also: a push to persuade policymakers to emulate Ireland’s economy - and local media people lamenting the decline of what was the media’s favourite social media platform, Twitter.  [picture id="4KZR3WE_Bury_the_Bird_ad_jpg" crop="original" layout="full"] 

Cambridge University neuropsychologist Professor Barbara Sahakian talks about new research from her team using data from the UK biobank to reach conclusions about mental health. The study used neuroimaging to see the differences in the brain, changing volumes of areas like the hippocampus, vital for memory and learning, and the amygdala, for emotional regulation.   At last count more than 12% of New Zealanders were on antidepressants, 16% of females, 9% of males, 22% of women over age 65. We asked Barbara Sahakian about her latest findings.  [picture id="4MLTFVV_copyright_image_244774" crop="16x10" layout="full"] 

For the very first time in Aotearoa New Zealand, world-renowned violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter joins forces with the NZSO.  [picture id="4KZT4LR_fileadmin_media_presse_2015pix_2_2015_12_ANNE_SOPHIE_MUTTER_01_034_V3_FINAL_jpg" crop="16x10" layout="full"]  Mutter, a longtime friend and collaborator with movie music legend John Williams, will perform Williams’ music from Star Wars, Harry Potter and more in Wellington and Auckland this month.  She joins Jim Mora to talk about music life and why she decided not to retire at 50.  [picture id="4KZT4LR_2022_JWilliams_ASMutterbyHilaryScott_A31A2734_1_jpg" crop="original" layout="full"] 

It's the evening of Remembrance Day, Armistice Day, in the UK. Pro-Palestinian marchers have rallied in London in large numbers, and former defence force generals there have defended their right to do so, in the face of opposition from Home Secretary Suella Braverman. She described the rallies in advance as "hate marches" and accused the police of favouring left-wing groups over right. BBC producer Will Flockton, formally RNZ Morning Report, was there.

Award-winning, Otautahi based folk singer and songwriter Amiria Grenell introduces us to her latest single, the gentle track 'Lanterns'. Daughter of legendary country musician John Grenell and known for her crystalline voice Amiria has followed her heritage into a colourful and long-standing career as a touring artist and respected songwriter.

Originally from Dunedin, Honor Hagar's career has taken her around the world - London, Newcastle, Brighton, Amsterdam, Zagreb, Berlin, and Riga - before she landed in Singapore where she now works in one of the city's most distinctive buildings, the lotus-shaped ArtScience Museum.

You may have heard the saying 'Gossip is the Devil's radio', but does gossip actually deserve the bad rap it gets? Dr Erica Brozovsky is a sociolinguist, and the host and writer of popular PBS Youtube series 'Otherwords', an educational series about language and linguistics. Erica's videos explore the weird and whacky lesser-known history behind words and language, they've garnered hundreds of thousands of views. She argues that gossip is not only a part of our human nature, a tool that's helped us to build better social connections and community, but it could also be the origin of language itself.

The #1 New York Times bestselling author of Think Again has a new book about what it takes to improve and succeed. Adam Grant is an organizational psychologist, Wharton's top-rated professor for seven straight years, and the New York Times bestselling author of three books that have sold over a million copies and been translated into 35 languages His New Book Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things digs into how we can all rise to achieve greater things.

Today marks the start of NZ Ice Cream & Gelato Week. Lucy Corry joins us with her DIY recipe for a Kiwi favourite.

Rugby in recovery as a media spectacle; keeping it confidential to protect sources; Musk trashing Twitter.

Emmy Award Winner, 3-time Grammy nominated recording artist, installation artist, and environmental activist Toni Childs joins us ahead of her gig with the Corrs next week. She talks about recovering her voice and her upcoming underwater gig on the Great Barrier Reef.

As the weather warms and summer approaches, many of us are looking forward to getting into the ocean. Professor Rob Brander, aka 'Dr Rip', is a coastal scientist, beach safety researcher and science communicator in the School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences at UNSW Sydney in Sydney. His book Dr Rip's Essential Beach Book: Everything you need to know about surf, sand and rips dives into the science of waves and currents, how beaches form and behave, how they respond to storms and climate change, as well as some less common hazards including tsunamis and sharks.

Jeffrey Halley is Sunday Morning's man on the money. Jeffrey's a kiwi in Jakarta and Singapore who until recently was the Senior Market Analyst for Asia Pacific for the OANDA corporation, with his analysis is regularly sought by Bloomberg, the BBC, Reuters, CNBC, MSN and the New York Times.

Are your choices ever really yours to make? It's an age-old philosophical question, but one that regularly rears its head with advances in our understanding of genetics and neuroscience. Recent publications from two leading neuroscientists have lent wight to the argument that free will is an illusion and that our choices are pre-determined by the make-up of our brain. The theory has thorny implications for moral dilemmas and ideas about crime and punishment. If our choices are not our own, should we agonise over them? And do we have the right to punish people for their so-called decisions? We speak to Clare Wilson - a New Scientist journalist focused on medicine, health policy, and neuroscience - who has taken a deep dive into this philosophical and scientific conundrum.

Mark Reason, Stuff's senior sports columnist, gives us his post-match analysis of the Rugby World Cup Final between the All Blacks and Springboks.

The first 1000 days are the most important of our lives - why? Because in those first three years of life our brain is rapidly changing and developing, our neuroplasticity is at its peak. It was once thought that this remarkable capacity to remodel ended with youth, but the brain's plasticity is a constant force in shaping who we are. Change can come about unconsciously and, interestingly, through conscious effort. Science journalist and BBC Future reporter Melissa Hogenboom, recently decided to test the theory of mindfulness and its power to physically alter the mind - book ending the experiment with MRI scans. At the end of six weeks, she had the results of her effort to rewire her brain.

No cook likes to be told that their culinary creations look disgusting, but there’s no pretending otherwise with Fiona Hugues’ creepy Halloween cake. Here's how to make it - and some wriggly marzipan maggots.

Sir Bryan Williams - former All Black and coach of the Samoan national rugby team - gives us his unbridled take post-Rugby World Cup showdown between the All Blacks and Springboks.

Will it be jubilation or devastation for Kiwi All Blacks' fans? We soak in the atmosphere - whatever it may be - from Stade de France with Christina Persico. Christina is RNZ's Pacific Bulletin Editor.

In the space of a few short years, discussions around 'anxiety' and 'feeling anxious' have entered the mainstream. While the rise in anxiety among humans is a well-documented phenomenon, the similarly rapid rise in our companion animals has flown under the radar. Yet, our pets, particularly pooches, are increasingly prescribed anti-anxiety medication. So, are our animals really more anxious? Or are we pathologising normal pet behaviour? The jury is out. Dr Zazie Todd is an animal behaviour expert who founded Companion Animal Psychology in 2012 to explore ways in which science can help us to have happier pets.

Covering news from all over the country is a struggle for media companies dealing with rising costs and falling revenues. But some local outlets are surviving - and even thriving. Mediawatch's Hayden Donnel finds out who's doing the business in Whanganui - and how they're doing it.

Christina Persico - RNZ's Pacific Bulletin Editor - is match-side at the Rugby World Cup Final. She joins us at halftime from the Stade France.

Cantabrian Giles Cooper has many strings to his bow - lawyer by day, bar owner by night. Arriving in the Vietnamese metropolis of Hanoi in 1999, he opened a New Zealand style café, Puku, and hasn't looked back since.

Duncan Paterson is in the eye of the Rugby World Cup storm. He speaks to us from his packed Parisian pub - The Black Sheep Society - a slice of Kiwi paradise on Rue Daval.

We speak to Al Gillespie about the latest from the conflict in the Middle East and China's 'fantastical' economic statistics. Al Gillespie is a professor of law, specialising in international law related to war, the environment and civil liberties, at the University of Waikato.

The team behind a unique research project looking into loneliness in aged care homes in Australia has garnered international attention for its approach. Study lead, Monash University Sociologist Dr Barbara Barbosa Neves worked with award-winning author Josephine Wilson and with illustrator-artist Amanda Brooks to create an academic paper, but with creative non-fiction and comic book-style art. Barbara joins us to talk about the study and how using creatives can help us better understand academic data.

Mark Reason, Stuff's senior sports columnist brings us the latest from the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, as England take on South Africa.

In a busy world, many of us find it difficult to stick to the recommended 7 to 8 hours each night, but a new report has highlighted what happens in the body if we cut that short - even over a short period. After just six weeks of shortened sleep, the study found, the cells that line our blood vessels are flooded by damaging oxidants. This results in cells that are inflamed and dysfunctional, an early step in the development of cardiovascular disease. Sanja Jelic is the director of the Center for Sleep Medicine at Columbia and professor of medicine in the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine at Columbia University.

Take me to your leader - political press pack gets off on wrong foot with our new political leaders; media in the middle of Gaza claims and counterclaims; World Cup fever - and Irish anguish.

In a rapidly changing world many of our customs and traditions, particularly those around partnering remain deep-rooted and unchanged.

Reported benefits of a cold plunge include relieving sore muscles, helping recovery post-workout, reducing inflammation, and boosting immunity. Some also report mental health benefits, like reducing anxiety or depression and improving clarity. Author and broadcaster Will Stone dives into the science for us.

In an address from the Oval Office, President Joe Biden set out his case for U.S. backing of Ukraine and Israel, but how did this play out on the international stage and who will be the major players in fostering - or hindering - peace. Al Gillespie is a professor of law, specialising in international law related to war, the environment and civil liberties, at the University of Waikato.

The hygiene hypothesis is the idea that kids must be exposed to germs to develop healthy immune systems. Unexpected results from a recent study suggest hygiene hypothesis might not be so clean cut though. Researchers compared laboratory mice with high infectious exposures from birth to 'clean' mice and found little evidence that the antibody response was altered in any meaningful way. The 'dirty' mice had the same, if not greater ability to develop allergic immune responses than the 'clean' mice. Jonathan Coquet, co-author of the study and Associate Professor at the Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden joins Jim Mora to discuss the study's results.

We look at the All Blacks' performance in this World Cup with of New Zealand's most respected rugby writers and columnist for the NZ Herald, Gregor Paul.

How does a poet laureate celebrate their birthday? If you're Chris Tse, you mark the occasion with a gathering of fellow poets - and by writing a new poem about your love of Celine Dion.

Jo McCarroll, Sunday Morning regular and NZ Gardener magazine editor has a new book out for anyone wanting to save a bit of money or to grow some fresh healthy food. Vege Patch from Scratch offers easy-to-follow steps for starting and sustaining your very own vegetable garden.

Celebrating, commiserating, or waiting in anticipation... If you stayed up late Saturday keeping up to date with the election coverage, you'll need a good breakfast to recover. As a bonus, it might help you if you were up early watching the rugby too. Lucy Corry AKA The Kitchenmaid joins us.

On Saturday, 14 October 2023, Australians will have their say in a referendum about whether to change the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing a body called the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. Natasha Frost is the New York Times correspondent based in Melbourne.

Former All Black and coach of the Samoan national team, Sir Bryan Williams joins us with his reaction to events as they unfolded between New Zealand an Ireland in Paris.

Actor, comedian, broadcaster and author, Michael Palin, has documented the extraordinary life and tragic death of a First World War soldier - his great-uncle Harry in latest book Great-Uncle Harry: A Tale of War and Empire. 

The latest trend began in Europe, which has now gone global according to the BBC, this new idea that your employer could pay the cost of your holiday instead of increasing wages. We ask Dr Jarrod Haar, Professor of Management and Maori Business at Massey University whether that's something we might see here.

What can be done about chronic pain, avoiding or reducing the need for pills? Dr Whitney Scott is a lecturer in clinical health psychology at King's College, and she also works at the INPUT Pain Unit at Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital in London.

New Zealander Natasha Frost is the New York Times' correspondent in Melbourne. She joins us with the latest from across the Tasman.

Andrew Scott is a political journalist who goes by the pen name of Otto English. His latest book, 'Fake Heroes: Ten False Icons and How they Altered the Course of History' dives into the hidden lives of some of history's biggest names. 

Rugby Writer and columnist, Scotman Gregor Paul is in Lyon with the All Blacks, but has been keeping a keen eye on the action at the Stade De France between Ireland and Scotland.

How you talk to yourself can mean the difference between a good day or a day spent wallowing with your head under the covers. Award-winning Professor of Psychology and Management at the University of Michigan Ethan Kross shares his insights and techniques learnt from his more than two decades of research.

Media shift blame for misleading tax policy headlines; political parties' policies for the media; Rupert Murdoch steps down and starts up the succession - or does he?

Princess Chelsea refers to her 2023 Taite Music Prize winning album as her 'nervous breakdown' album. She speaks to Jim Mora about her journey to personal recovery and reconnecting with fans.

Michael Vlismas' Risking It All sets out to say how Musk's childhood shaped him, and the other themes are perseverance, strategising skills and a remarkable ability to handle pressure.

After her chat on the show a couple of weeks ago, Dr Lisa Sanders from Yale University's Long-COVID clinic joins us once again to answer some of your questions.

Assistant Professor at Stanford's Quantitative Sciences Unit has crunched the numbers around weight, BMI and health and found some surprising data.

Dr Alex Burgoyne, a cognitive neuroscientist says there's something else to know about mindfulness.

Many of us grew up in a time when mental health just wasn't discussed. These days though mental wellness is being promoted in many aspects of daily life and the language of psychiatry has entered the vernacular.

Calling home this week is Simon Butchard, who grew up in Christchurch but now lives in Warsaw with his wife Ania and their twins.

The undecided could decide the election; giving youth a voice in the election; ZB's 'straight talking' subscribers' service.

Whilst spying seems like a strong word, that's the accusation made in a study by the Mozilla Foundation. David Linklater is the Deputy editor of DRIVEN CARGUIDE at NZME. He joins us with the details.

How we shop has a greater effect on our happiness than what we buy. Emily Guy Birken is an award-winning writer, author, money coach, and retirement expert. She tells us how to get more bliss for our buck.

The All Blacks thumped Italy in the RWC, a cause for celebration. Is there also a cause for caution? Sports writer Mark Reason joins Jim, Mark's a senior sports writer for Stuff and Mark's covered every Rugby World Cup since 1991.

The quote attributed to American Baseball plater Satchel Paige, goes "How old would you be if you didn't know what age you were?" Most of us feel an age that bears no relation to our physical age. Anna Kornadt is a professor in psychology at the University of Luxembourg with a focus on aging and lifespan development and head of their Institute of Lifespan Development, Family and Culture.

Dr Ali Hill from Otago University's Department of Human Nutrition joins us once again. This time we find out if eating eggs can really make us happier.

We may never solve the question of what happens when our hearts stop and electrical activity in our brain flatlines, but science is giving this a good go now. Dr Sam Parnia is a British associate professor of Medicine at New York University's Grossman School of Medicine, where he is also director of research into cardiopulmonary resuscitation, director of the Human Consciousness Project at the UK's University of Southampton and author of the book The Lazarus Effect: The Science That is Rewriting the Boundaries Between Life and Death. He has been studying the moment of death for more than two decades.

Sports journalist, Lavina Good joins us from Hangzhou, China with the latest from the 19th Asian Games.

How can we bring more happiness into our lives? How do we translate a yearning for happiness into the sort of action that will enable us to grasp it? How do we live, now, in a less-and-less happy world. A Professor at Harvard Business School, best-selling author of 13 books and writer of the Atlantic Monthly's How To Build a Life column, Arthur C. Brooks joins us. His new book, written in tandem with Oprah Winfrey, is called Build The Life You Want.

As two of the favourites for the Rugby World Cup - South Africa and Ireland - go head-to-head at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, we go live for the latest from Mark Reason, Stuff's senior sports columnist.

A curling team from New Zealand have been 'adopted' by a retirement home in Calgary, Alberta. In return for four months of accommodation, the team integrate with the residents; similar to an intergenerational scheme ran in the Dutch city of Deventer They're in Calgary to practice with their eyes on qualifying for the World Men's Curling Championship 2024 in Switzerland, and eventually the 2026 Olympics. Vice-skip Brett Sargon joins us.

Debate statemates add to election frustration; the current and future state of Stuff; some good - but overdue - news for Dunedin.

Most of us learned to do laundry from our parents, and at some point we were told the story of the red sock making the laundry pink. But according to some, we don't need to separate laundry anymore. Jack Chen, Senior Lecturer in Chemistry at Auckland University of Technology joins us.

Our skin is our first line of defence … and as a culture, we like to keep it clean. But according to Philadelphia dermatologist Dr Mark Abdelmalek a shower a few days a week is probably all we need. He says while long hot showers feel great, they're stripping our body of its natural oils, "culturally, we are over-showering". Mark is a prominent skin cancer surgeon and also the go-to health correspondent for ABC news in the United States, he joins Jim to discuss how much is too much when it comes to showering.

It's been reported that 1 in 5 Covid sufferers in NZ have long-COVID symptoms. Otago University estimate that up to 150,000 New Zealanders may be battling, or have been battling long-COVID, another estimate was up to 300,000 earlier this year. The only publicly funded long-COVID clinic in the country will shut up shop at the end of this month. Dr. Lisa Sanders is a physician, a professor of internal medicine and a longtime New York Times medical columnist and at Yale University's long-COVID clinic, she is doing what she can to understand the mysteries of the disorder.

Neuroscience researcher, writer and author David Robson joins us once again. This time he's been looking at advice and where we get it. Interestingly, it's not always the most successful people that are best-placed to give advice.

Nuclear weapons have unfortunately been brought to the fore once more with Russia's invasion of Ukraine despite most experts agreeing deployment is unlikely. No nation has detonated a nuclear weapon in conflict since 1945 and many of those weapons are getting pretty old. Alex Wellerstein is a nuclear weapons historian at the Stevens Institute of Technology. He talks to Jim about the state of nuclear weapons and how reliable they are.

Duncan Paterson is calling home from Paris, currently the centre of the Rugby World Cup. Duncan's bar is called The Black Sheep Society, a slice of kiwi heaven on the streets of Paris.

Un-spun numbers don't derail duelling versions of the economy; Stuff keeps AI at arm's length; medical school row - and a made-up university.

Most of us had never heard of cookiecutter sharks until a week or so ago, when they managed to sink a catamaran off the coast of Australia. New Zealand marine scientist and Auckland University's shark man Dr Riley Elliott gets his teeth into the details.

With summer on the horizon, we talk to neuroscientist and journalist, Dr David Cox to find out how much we should drink every day, and what we should be drinking.

Herald rugby writer Gregor Paul joins us with his take on the latest from France in the Rugby World Cup.

Sarah Peirse is best known for her screen roles as Kate in Rain and Pauline Parker's mother, Honora, in Heavenly Creatures. She reprises her role as the formidable American writer, Patricia Highsmith in the acclaimed thriller Switzerland presented by Auckland Theatre Company which opens at the ASB Waterfront Theatre on September 19.

NY Times Australia correspondent, Natasha Frost joins us from Melbourne with the latest news from across the Tasman.

As the NZ Aerospace Summit gets underway next week in Christchurch, we're joined by NASA astronaut, Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper. Astronaut Heidemarie M. Stefanyshyn-Piper, STS-115 mission specialist, took this self-portrait having just unstowed the forward Solar Array Blanket Box (SABB) on a space walk on the International Space Station. Photo: NASA Heide has performed five spacewalks, she's been up to the International Space station and down to the bottom of the ocean as well, as a Navy dive commander. Her work now is to encourage other young women to pursue careers in space.

Richard Osman has now joined the ranks of those people in the United Kingdom who are referred to as a 'national treasure'. Even if you don't read his books and know his name you will almost certainly know his face if you watch TV, as a droll presence on many panel shows like Would I Lie to You? Or quiz shows such as Pointless. Richard is the also author of the hugely popular The Thursday Murder Club books. His latest book The Last Devil to Die is out now.

Susan Goldin-Meadow is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Chicago and one of the world foremost experts on gestures. She has found that gestures express substantive information which otherwise might not be conveyed in the speech it accompanies revealing secret thinking to those who pay attention.

Angst over advocacy adverts and content as official election period begins; AI - coming ready or not for news and music.

You're born, you live, you die - ageing, it would seem, is linear. Wrong. It turns out, the human body tends to age in parts, with some organs more susceptible to the ravages of time than others. However, geneticist Michael Snyder says nailing down which body part will fail first is a bit of a gamble because, "Everybody's ageing differently". But don't despair yet, recent studies have revealed that we are likely to belong to one of four different ageing pathways - and figuring out which 'ageotype' you are, might be the key to staying healthier for longer. Dr Snyder, director of Stanford University's Center of Genomics, joins Jim to discuss.

Getting the snacks in for the game isn't quite as simple for this Rugby World Cup. Early morning match times here in NZ means the usual pizza, chips and dips aren't so appealing. Award-winning food writer Lucy Corry, aka The Kitchenmaid joins us with some inspiration for snacks for watching the Rugby World Cup.

With the Rugby World Cup already in full swing, Mark Reason, senior sports columnist for Stuff joins us from France.

We've faced several crises in recent years, but the one we're currently eyeing might be the most troubling of all. In a new documentary airing Sunday night, Bryan Bruce asks the question, why does food cost so much?

New Zealand, a United States ally and China trade partner, is walking a tight rope as tensions between the economic superpowers ratchet up.

Increasingly, smartphone users are becoming aware, and with it, more concerned about the extent to which their phone is spying on them.

American folk singer Connie Converse was the "invisible woman of the 20th century", despite being ahead of the curve in every respect.

She may have been born in Aotearoa, but it feels almost inevitable that Rachel Bickler would end up in Brussels the heart of the European Union.

Mongrel and maths collide as campaigns launch - and media ponder National's tax plan; scrutiny of candidates' online footprints prompts pushback and claims of 'agendas'.

One hundred years ago, it was common for streets to be filled with whistling the crying call of milkmen and builders on construction sites, everyday people going about their business. So, what happened to this tradition? Professor of Music at the University of York Rachel Cowgill, says while the streets are now quieter, a keen core of whistlers remain.

Fred Dagg only had three or four years of peak popularity before he left New Zealand for Australia, but he changed comedy in this country and inspired a number of the top comedians today with his casual style.

Calling Home this morning is Dr John Feathersone, Dean Emeritus of the School of Dentistry at the University of California, San Francisco. He's won numerous national and international awards, including the International Association for Dental Research distinguished scientist award for research into dental caries, and the Norton Ross Award for excellence in clinical research from the American Dental Association. This year he'll receive the American Dental Association's highest award, their Distinguished Service Award.

Are there tricks that can maximise your lottery winnings? Should you avoid the number seven, for example or only pick numbers over 31? Mathematician Peter Rowlett from University of Sheffield Hallam in the UK has some psychological strategies that may (or may not) improve your chances when playing the lottery.

Chris Patten, Lord Patten of Barnes was a top Tory politician, prime ministerial material, and Chairman of the Conservative Party in the UK who went on to be the 28th and last Governor of Hong Kong, from 1992 to 1997. His brief was to make the 1997 handover of Hong Kong to China smooth, but also to protect the rule of law and to safeguard democracy. In the end the politics, as he puts it, were a snake pit. His book, The Hong Kong Diaries, is a journal of his time there, including his thoughts on the situation today.

We're taught as children not to fidget. Is fidgeting just a sign of being restless? Or is there more to it? What if fidgeting can help us maintain a healthy weight, manage stress, or even add years to your life? Janet Cade, a nutritional epidemiologist at the University of Leeds and her colleagues analyzed survey data from more than 12,000 women over the course of twelve years, uncovering that fidgeting can reduce your risk of long-term ill health as it interrupts the amount of time our bodies stay sedentary.

Victoria University of Wellington Professor of Psychology, Dr Marc Wilson is back, this time covering the harrowing case of nurse Lucy Letby over the murders of seven babies and the attempted murder of six others in her care at the Countess of Chester hospital in the UK.

Brought to you by 'partners' - critics question sponsorship deals pushing clients' content into news media; IMANZ - a new umbrella body for independent local media marketing agencies; low key reveal of legislation to push big tech platforms to pay for local news.

A new survey has confirmed what Millennials and Gen Z already knew - ordering food at restaurants can be stressful. For some, it can be so stressful that it's affecting the way they navigate eating out. Almost half of Gen Z and Millennials experience menu anxiety, stemming from everything from the taste, cost, and length of preparation time to the food's environmental impacts. Michael Dearth runs The Grove Restaurant in Auckland. He joins us to talk about how this phenomenon is impacting our eating out culture.

Forty-six-year-old Bryan Johnson has spent millions of dollars to slow his body's aging process. He made his millions selling a tech company to eBay and has since pursued ventures in health tech, including his anti-ageing mission, Project Blueprint. He has a team of more than thirty doctors and health experts monitoring his every move, with the goal of reversing the aging process in every one of his organs. Bryan joins us to talk about his anti-aging mission and the potential takeaways for generations to come.

The All Blacks have suffered their worst-ever defeat - 35-7 against the Springboks at Twickenham, in front of 80,000 rugby fans. They have a fortnight before they play France in the Rugby World Cup and now there's deep soul-searching for the ABs as they head to a base in Germany. Mark Reason is a senior sports columnist for Stuff. He has covered every Rugby World Cup since 1991 for major media, as well as Olympic Games and many big golf tournaments. He spoke with Jim Mora.

Dai Henwood is one of our best-known comedians, star of Dancing With The Stars, Seven Days, Family Feud and Legomasters. Folllowing his cancer diagnosis, he's just finished his latest round of chemo and has gotten together with his mates, some of the biggest names in comedy, to host a night of stand-up comedy to raise money for The Cancer Society.

Scientists have been researching the cooling ocean east of New Zealand for a while, but more recently it has really been getting attention. Dr Pedro DiNezio is an Associate Professor at the University of Colorado's department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences. He calls it "the most important unanswered question in climate science".

A face-to-face amiable debate, the polite airing of contrary view seems to be becoming increasingly rare. Are we losing the art of conversation? Dr Paula Marantz Cohen is the distinguished professor of literature at Drexel University in Philadelphia. Her book Talking Cure: An Essay on the Civilizing Power of Conversation looks at the art of good conversation, how it connects us in ways that social media never can and explains why simply talking to each other freely and without guile may be the cure to what ails our troubled society.

What's it like to land a jet on an aircraft carrier or have your Cessna crash in flames in rugged farmland? Aviation expert and pilot Fletcher McKenzie has interviewed dozens of kiwi pilots who've flown all sorts of planes all around the world for his book From the Pilot's Seat: Kiwi Adventurers in the Sky.

England and Spain go head-to-head at Stadium Australia in the World Cup final later. Joining us for her thoughts on this game is one of our most illustrious footballers. Sarah Gregorius from Lower Hutt played nearly a hundred games for the football Ferns competing in three World Cups and going on to play for AFC Amsterdam. Throughout the tournament, Sarah has provided her unique insight and analysis on Sky Sports and while of course keeping up the day job as the FIFPRO World Players Union as its Director of global policy and strategic relations.

Dr. Nick Laing, originally from Christchurch has been living and working in Northern Uganda for several years where he is the co-founder and country director of OneDay Health which operates 36 Remote rural health centers in the region.

Our World Cup runneth over - what legacy will it leave? Lifting the lid on exploitation of migrant workers and human trafficking.

Jane Austen once said "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife." Whilst we'd all be happy to see that idea consigned to the dustbin of literary history, it seems it may have currency again. With some even asking if the requirements of modern dating, and finding a life partner, are becoming reminiscent of Jane Austen's time… because of housing costs. Frances Cook, BusinessDesk investments editor, podcaster and best-selling author of Your Money, Your Future and Tales from a Financial Hot Mess joins us

As the last of the Covid-19 restrictions are dropped in New Zealand, hospitalisations are on the rise and the implications of long covid are only starting to emerge. Throughout the height of the Covid pandemic we talked regularly with New Zealander Dr Gary Mclean, an emeritus professor at London Metropolitan University, and immunology researcher at Imperial College.

More and more people are working from home under the watchful eye of strangers - and the strangers are being paid for the privilege. According to Annie, the concept of 'body doubling' is nothing new: People are more likely to stay focused on work if they know others are keeping an eye on them. Annie speaks to Susana about the principle and its link to ADHD treatment.

He was commended and condemned in equal measure, but his decision to fight for his troops ultimately saw him walk the plank. In 2020, Captain Brett Crozier disembarked the US Navy's most powerful aircraft carrier for the last time - relieved of duty after pleading with superiors to protect his sailors from Covid-19. As the virus swept through the ship, his letter begging for help hit the headlines. Two years later he retired. In his new book, 'Surf when you can' he reflects on his life, his work, and that career defining moment.

Following this week's announcement that the government is to partner with US asset managers, Blackrock in a $2bn green energy fund, we're joined by political economist and economic geographer, Professor Brett Christophers who is visiting NZ from the Institute for Housing and Urban Research at Sweden's Uppsala University. He's the author of several books, including Our Lives in Their Portfolios: Why Asset Managers Own the World.

Ohio Statehouse News Bureau Chief Karen Kasler joins us once again. She takes a look at USA vs Trump following the indictment handed down against the former president while at the same time under heavy scrutiny by media Trump and Biden are pretty well neck-and-neck in polling for the next US presidential election. And in Karen's home state, Ohioans voted down a proposal that would have made it harder to pass future proposed constitutional amendments in the state, including one in November about abortion rights.

Reporters' report on crime coverage urges new thinking - and highlights electoral 'crime crackdown' pattern; RNZ's Richard Sutherland calling it quits after 30 years; free sports streaming options on the up.

Ever dreamed of living on your own private island? Loon Island on Pavilion Lake - a four-hour drive from Vancouver - is currently on the market for less than half the average price for a home in the neighbouring BC city. According to realtor Kevin Scharfenberg, the lake is famous for its brilliant emerald glow in the summer, and that's not the only natural attraction. NASA and the Canadian Space Agency are currently researching a mysterious karst formation that resembles ocean coral. The island listing boasts 175 metres of waterfront panoramic views, two cabins, and a 2015 solar powered house - your own slice of paradise, for $NZ734,000.

The link between memory and smell has long been established - but what if you could harness odours to not only maintain cognitive ability as you age, but deter dementia? The result of a University of California Irvine study has indicated just that. For six months a fragrance wafted through the bedrooms of adults 60 years and older. The findings? A 226% increase in cognitive capacity.

The chances of finding a large eel in Loch Ness are around 1 in 50,000 for a 1-metre creature. Researchers at the University of Otago looked at the DNA of Loch Ness inhabitants, concluding that perhaps sightings of Nessie were actually large eels. But now, data scientist Flow Foxon says eels don't get that big. Professor Neil Gemmell is the AgResearch Chair in Reproduction and Genomics at the University of Otago. Neil joins the programme to discuss.

AI can do many things, but what can't in replicate? Dr. Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic is the Chief Innovation Officer at ManpowerGroup in the UK. Tomas' new book is I, Human: AI, Automation, and the Quest to Reclaim What Makes Us Unique.

An expedition of women from Arabia and Europe set out to find the North Pole as the ice caps melt. Award-winning filmmaker Holly Morris recorded the mission - it could be the last. She used the latest tech, with first-of-its-kind Virtual Reality/360 footage on Google Jump Halo, and Rylo 360 cameras. Holly is known for her documentary, Babushkas of Chernobyl, about women living in the shadow of the failed nuclear reactor in Ukraine. Holly joins the programme.

The most commonly used letter in the English language is E, followed by A, and R. The least-used letter is Z, followed by Q … But the letter that has made headlines around the world is 'X'. Tony Thorne's been writing, teaching, and broadcasting about linguistic and cultural change for three decades, he joins us to discuss the conflicted nature of the letter, 'X'.

The rise in cocaine use across New Zealand has brought cartels back into the public consciousness and headlines around the world. But are they responsible for the reported spike in drug use?

It was a semi-finals showdown last night, with netball's big four battling it out for a spot in the World Cup Final. The Silver Ferns faced off against the English Roses, while Jamaica's Sunshine Girls went toe-to-toe with the Australian Diamonds. RNZ reporter Bridget Tunnicliffe was court side and joins the programme from Cape Town.

Political road rage - budget holes & emissions omissions; what went wrong with RNZ's online news - and putting it right,

The world is looking at China in a new way. What was once billed as the next dominant superpower is facing economic headwinds.

Drawing on unpublished archival material and new reportage, author and journalist Walter Marsh's book, Young Rupert pieces together the paper trail giving us a glimpse of the Australian media landscape at an extraordinary tipping point.

Is it ethical to watch movies during a strike? Should moviegoers strike too? Will the strike actually kill Hollywood? Sarah McMullan is familiar to the RNZ audience. She watches a lot of films and writes about some of them.

How much do we have to exercise, really, to be healthy? And does a lot of the research done in gyms pertain to men, not women? We're joined by our go-to exercise expert, New Zealander Dr Mandy Hagstrom, senior lecturer at UNSW, School of Human Nutrition.

At some time or another most of us will enter a maze and try and get out of it again. There's an easy way to do that, believe it or not. Dr Katie Steckles is a Manchester-based mathematician who lectures at a university in Sheffield, speaks at science festivals, and talks on the BBC about matters mathematical as well.

Originally from Pukekohe, Jack Boulton now lives in Orkney, completing a PhD on Transitional Engineering studying ways to move petrochemical companies away from carbon use.

Minister's downfall triggers election speculation - and another resignation at RNZ.

Experts are claiming dogs separated at eight to 12 weeks won't forget about their siblings for up to two years, and these same dogs often recognise their mothers beyond the two-year mark. Dr. Lucy Scott from Veterinary Behaviour Services NZ is a vet with a special interest in behaviour and training.

We all know people who wolf their food down, and probably we disapprove. But what if it's not actually all that bad? Dr Katherine Wu, a Harvard-trained microbiologist, and now a staff writer for the Atlantic Monthly joins us.

An Oxford University study has concluded that if all the meat eaters in the UK cut down their ingestion of meat it would be the equivalent of taking 8 million cars off the road. Dr Ali Hill joins us from Otago University's Department of Human Nutrition.

Dr. Jean Twenge is a Professor of Psychology at San Diego State University, and the author of more than 140 scientific publications. She was last on RNZ six years ago discussing the less happy and more isolated smartphone generation of young people.

Do you ever hear a snippet of a tune and before you know it, it's on rotate in your head, and you can't seem to shake it for hours... or days, or even weeks? You're not alone. This pesky phenomenon - a catchy tune that runs through a person's mind - is known as an 'earworm'. A study of 240 American university students in 2020 showed 97% had experienced an 'earworm' in the past month. Professor Emery Schubert is from the School of the Arts and Media at the University of New South Wales.

At the Easter of 1939, on the cusp of WW2 and when Aucklander Johnny Green was just nine years old, his mother gifted him an egg cup. It featured three ceramic chicks, contained a single chocolate egg, and it meant the absolute world to him. Johnny kept it with him always, even when he joined the British Army, and made the six-week voyage to New Zealand. He now has a collection of more than 11,000 cups which he proudly displays at Sunday markets around Tamaki Makaurau to raise money for Hospice.

Dr Stephanie Dowrick is an award-winning writer, psychotherapy researcher and coach, public speaker, workshop leader, interfaith minister and the founder of The Women's Press in London. Her latest book Your Name is Not Anxious includes step-by-step guides that explain anxiety is treatable, despite more and more of us being or becoming anxious. Dr Dowrick gives us a preview of what we might learn in the 60-chapter read.

Whakatane-born Aaron Hodges' job as a fantasy writer allows him to live anywhere he wants. So in 2019, he moved to Buenos Aires to learn Spanish, and has been there ever since. Aaron calls home to tell us about life in the vibrant Argentinian capital.

A triumph on a tragic day; political parties roll out crime control policies; creative interpretations of a pretty prosaic political poll.

When All Blacks great Dan Carter retired from the game in 2021, he found no obvious career move at his doorstep. His new book, The Art of Winning: Ten Lessons in Leadership, Purpose and Potential, focuses on a series of hard-learned truths over his career and in the years to follow. Dan Carter tells us more about his new book, which he says, is not about rugby.

We've spoken before on Sunday morning about cats, dogs and cows, and how they reveal their affection for us. Research is making great strides in analysing animals we're familiar with and ascertaining their emotional states. That, of course, will allow us to improve their lives. Even if we then eat some of them. Dr Fay Clark runs the Comparative Challenge Lab at the University of Bristol. Her research is concerned with the mental processes and mental health of animals. Her training is in zoology, biological anthropology, and psychology, and in her lab, in zoos and in the wild she constructs challenges for animals to see how they respond.

Simon Schama is a pre-eminent historian and the author of The Power of Art, Landscape and Memory and Citizens, the story of the French Revolution. He's a Professor of History and Art History at Columbia University and is a well-recognised face on television from his many series like Civilisation and The History of Now. Well now he's written Foreign Bodies - Pandemics, Vaccines & The Health of Nations. Foreign Bodies is on the face it the stories of the bacteriologists and epidemiologists and other scientists who developed vaccines and saved the lives of millions, often in the face of considerable opposition and prejudice. But it merges that history with the now of Covid and the fear of what is coming next.

The big movies of the year, Barbie, Oppenheimer, Mission Impossible are out now (or soon) and the BBC has teamed up with the Open University in the UK to advocate seeing these films in the cinema. The essential argument is that we are social creatures and it's far better for us to be with other people even if they are loudly scraping popcorn out of a box. It is good for the body and the soul. Sarah McMullan is familiar to the RNZ audience. She watches a lot of films and writes about some of them.

King Charles' former butler Grant Harold has revealed the proper way to drink tea, if you want affect a regal manner. When you stir your tea with a spoon, if that's necessary, you shouldn't move the spoon crudely around the cup clockwise or widdershins. What you do is use a "very gentle back and forward motion." A circular motion risks spillage and noise. Another major revelation from Grant is that scones should not be cut in half. You may employ the Cornish method, with the cream on top, or the Devonshire way, with jam on top, but you must never employ any method of laceration or piercing probe into the middle of the scone itself. Joanne Watson The Old Town Hall Tea Room in Urenui until October last year and she's a bit of a scone aficionado.

Arthur Edwards MBE is now 82 years of age. He has been a photographer of the royal family for longer than anyone else, certainly in a mainstream media capacity and has worked all that time for The Sun newspaper. Arthur's was behind the lens for many of the photos that come to our minds when summoning up the big images - the formal poses of the Queen and the Duke, Prince Charles through the years, and Diana, that photo of her holding kindergarten children, the first ever taken of her before she was thrust into the limelight. And of course, Diana with her own children, and many in her unguarded moments of fun; latterly William and Kate of course, Harry & Meghan... thousands and thousands of photographs: at Sandringham, Buckingham Palace, Ascot, the ski slopes, the polo fields and wherever he could find a royal personage doing something that looked a bit interesting. Over 45 years he's become part of the royal furniture, although his non-threatening relationship with them all didn't begin amiably. His close relationship with the king was for a long time fraught. Arthur Edwards has published a book that's full of photos, as you'd expect. It's called BEHIND THE CROWN - MY LIFE PHOTOGRAPHING THE ROYAL FAMILY.

RNZ Nights listeners may have heard Marc Leishman talking to this year's World Porridge Making Champion on Tuesday. Turns out one of the competition judges is a New Zealander. KJ Gilmour is an award-winning chef from Temuka who now lives and works in Grantown-On Spey in the Cairngorms, Scotland.

Warnings of a 'mortgage bomb' about to blow up; Australia puts big tech' under more pressure; Mary Holm's 25 years with readers and writers.

If three's a crowd, it seems four is the ideal when it comes to conversation. Professor Robin Dunbar, an anthropologist and evolutionary psychologist at the University of Oxford has spent decades studying how humans socialise. He is known for "Dunbar's number", a reference to his theory that most of us are only able to sustain about 150 social connections, but his work has also explored how people act in smaller groups. He has found that when it comes to having an enjoyable chat, four is the sweet spot, in fact in groups of five or more, the chances of laughter plummets.

We've all experienced those nights at one time or another, when sleep just won't come. Lying awake worrying about things we often have no control over that can doubtless best wait until the light of day. Dr Roxanne Prichard is a Professor of Neuroscience and Psychology at the Center for College Sleep, University of St. Thomas in Minnesota. Her research has found that after midnight our minds are less equipped to problem-solve and more prone to find problems. Roxanne takes us through the science that will help calm our mind and body.

We know that New Zealanders continue to feel the pain of the cost of living crisis. Back in March Research NZ polled on this, and now it has run the numbers again. Joining us is Research NZ managing partner Emanuel Kalafatelis.

Karen Kasler is the Statehouse News Bureau Chief for public radio and television in Ohio. She joins us with the latest news and views from The United States.

A recent survey of UK office workers found 76% of millennials and 40% of baby boomers have anxious thoughts when their phone rings. 61% of millennials would like to completely avoid calls, compared with 42% of baby boomers. Telephone anxiety is a real thing, its technical name is telephonophobia. Physical symptoms include nausea, increase in heart rate, shortness of breath, dizziness, and muscular tension. This means phone-anxious people avoid conversations over the phone. Mary Jane Copps is The Phone Lady. She understands that many people don't know how to talk on the phone and is in high demand, teaching them how to do just that.

Victoria University Professor of Psychology, Dr Marc Wilson is back to guide us though the psychology that's been making the headlines lately From Lotto Wins to loneliness and if your grip strength is indicative of anxiety or depression.

Two pretty ubiquitous tasks in modern life haven't changed much with the advent of technology - ironing clothes and making a cup of tea. Are there ways to speed up these processes? An Australian cleaning expert has claimed that they have a simple hack which means you'll never have to iron again. Chemistry Professor Dr Allan Blackman from Auckland University of Technology s been experimenting in the lab. (Actually, his home!)

It's not often we highlight a Tiktok account on the Sunday Morning show, but this one's different. Rosie Grant is a university researcher based in Los Angeles who has a couple of hundred thousand followers on the platform. She makes and bakes recipes that she finds on gravestones in cemeteries and graveyards. Most of the recipes are by women and almost all of them are deserts and sweet treats. Rosie joins us to talk about how she got started and why she loves this particular form of remembrance.

Often our guests calling home have moved between countries, but this week we're talking to a New Zealander with no fixed abode. Meg Prendergast is a tour manager with Contiki Tours and travels all over Europe. She's currently in the United Kingdom.

100 days to go; unknown Luxon; Listener goes online and brings back NZ's longest lasting columnist; confusing news on the economy.

Solar Maximum may be on its way sooner than we thought. The Sun is quickly approaching a major peak in solar activity, and some scientists think that peak could be early by as much as 2 years bringing the timeline towards the end of this year. One of the tell-tale signs is X-class solar flares being on the rise, and one of them has apparently already scored a direct hit on Earth and this past week another one caused a radio blackout for 30 minutes in the Pacific Ocean and the western United States, according to NASA. Otago University's Professor of Physics, Dr Craig Rodger joins us with the details.

The earlier that children start reading for enjoyment, the better it is for their verbal learning, memory, and speech development. A Cambridge University study has found a strong link between reading for pleasure at a young age and school performance later. They're also less stressed, they behave better, they spend less time on screens, and they sleep more soundly. The research used a large database of young people in the United States. One of the report's authors, neuropsychologist Dr Barbara Sahakian is a professor in the department of psychiatry at the University of Cambridge.

At McGill University's Earth System Dynamics Laboratory in Montreal, Canada, a team has found out how the average person spends each 24 hours.

At McGill University's Earth System Dynamics Laboratory in Montreal, Canada, a team has found out how the average person spends each 24 hours. The researchers used a variety of methods including time surveys and labour force surveys conducted in countries like NZ to get an overview of our life experience, our societies and our personal wellbeing. William Fajzel was the lead author of this study.

We know we carry AI in our pockets every day, as people are fond of saying. Author Martin Ford says we're about to see the importance of an invention that's on a par with electricity in terms of its coming effects on our lives.

ABC Classic has run a poll of Australians to ascertain the nation's favourite classical instrument. The favourite classical instrument is the one that is said to be closest to the human voice, the cello. Ashley Brown is the cellist with NZ Trio.

Robert Pagliarini is the president of Pacifica Wealth Advisors in California. He has a PhD in financial and retirement planning and specialises in helping clients cope with what he refers to as sudden wealth syndrome, and he wrote another book called the Sudden Wealth Solution.

Brendan Lynch was born in Gore, but he grew up in Timaru. He now lives in a village in a beautiful valley in south Tyrol, up among the famous Dolomites.

In 2014, an interstellar object - thought to be from another star system - crashed into the Pacific Ocean near Papua New Guinea. Harvard astronomer Avi Loeb is now leading a sea-going search, hoping to pick up fragments of that object.

The shock of the news - and a critical shortage in the state of the arts; TVNZ top-table changes; reserving the right to be wrong - even in an emergency.

New research shows when it comes time for New Zealanders to think about their legacy, money is not top of mind.

Russia's government is moving to demonstrate it still has control over the country, following a brief mutiny by one of the country's most powerful military groups. Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin flew to Belarus in exile on Tuesday (June 27), after his fighters protested of the Russian Military's handling of the Ukraine conflict. Ukraine hopes the chaos caused by the mutiny attempt will undermine Russian defences, as it presses a counteroffensive to recapture occupied territory. Dr Jack Watling is the senior research fellow for land warfare at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), the world's oldest and the UK's leading defence and security thinktank. Originally from New Zealand, he has spent periods of time since this war began on the ground with the armed forces in Ukraine, and has won international media awards for his analysis.

The $7 trillion dollar wellness movement has encountered a backlash in recent times with many asking if the wellness craze is giving us a new lease on life or is it just an easy way to empty our wallets? Now there's a debut novel, a satire called THE GLOW. "A desperate young publicist tries to save her career by turning the charismatic leader of a grungy retreat center into the hot new self-care brand." The author is Jessie Gaynor, who writes for The New Yorker and the Wall Street Journal. Jessie joins us from Richmond, Virginia.

Jeffrey Halley is Sunday Morning's man on the money. Jeffrey's a kiwi in Jakarta and Singapore who until recently was the Senior Market Analyst for Asia Pacific for the OANDA corporation, with his analysis is regularly sought by Bloomberg, the BBC, Reuters, CNBC, MSN and the New York Times. Jeffrey's been at a university in Wales for a while and is now back in Indonesia.

The Tour de France is one of the world's great sporting events and in the minds of most cycling journalists, the best-ever race of the Tour took place in 1989 when American Greg Lemond made one of the greatest comebacks in the history of sport, with dozen of shotgun pellets in his body and carrying a terrible secret in his heart. His winning margin in the end was 8 seconds, after racing more than 3,000 kilometres. He was 50 seconds behind as the last short sprint into Paris began. Against him were two recent former champions, Laurent Fignon and Pedro Delgado. That incredible race is now the subject of a new documentary The Last Rider , out in cinemas throughout NZ. Greg LeMond won the Tour three times and the World Road Race Championships twice and he joins us from Knoxville, Tennessee.

Our compost bins are full of coffee grounds, and some gardening experts not only advocate that, but also recommend sprinkling coffee grounds directly on the garden. But in the latest New Scientist they claim this is another myth saying used coffee grounds may be doing our plants more harm than good. NZ Gardener editor Jo McCarroll takes us through the pros and cons.

Surgery, equality and equity; starling survey results score easy exposure; independent local radio pioneer 1XX changes hands - but the mission remains the same.

Although our biting insects take a break in Winter, this week saw the shortest day of the year, so forgive us for looking ahead to the warm summer months. Are insects more likely to bite you when you're on the move, or when you're sitting down or standing still? Dr David Beresford, Professor of Biology at Trent University in Canada, has been looking into this very question.

BBC's Frank Gardner talks to Jim about the implications of the short-lived mutinous march on Moscow by the Wagner mercenaries who've been engaged in some of the fiercest fighting of the war in Ukraine. Frank Gardner is the BBC's Security Correspondent and the author of best-selling books about his assignments.

The Special Olympics World Summer Games are currently taking place in the historic Olympiastadion in Berlin. The event hosts 7000 athletes from 200 countries, supported by 20,000 volunteers and an expected 300,000 spectators. The New Zealand delegation of 39 athletes with an intellectual disability have been competing here across 9 sports. Powerlifter Ryan Stewart from Dunedin was the first New Zealand athlete to claim a medal with bocce player, Aaron Campbell from Levin claiming New Zealand's first gold. Journalist Coen Lammers joins us with the latest.

The journal New Scientist has dispelled some old wisdom about the need to water your garden early in the morning before the day warms up. It says that's not necessary, and sometimes it's not a good idea - same with watering in the early evening. How can this long-agreed-on idea be wrong? Editor of NZ Gardener, Jo McCarroll joins us.

Dr Ali Hill join us for our regular nutrition chat. She makes sense of the headlines that claim will make us look better, feel better and live longer. Could what they call NR be a magic ingredient for our health? Or taurine? What about seaweed, or even a diet of just fast food?

A study from the International Longevity Centre in the UK has found that if you compete at the Commonwealth Games, you'll live significantly longer, on average, than other people. On of the report's authors, health and fitness researcher, Ray Algar takes us though the findings.

This Sunday, Mimi Todhunter is calling home from Venice.

Mediawatch looks at the response to the revelation of 'inappropriate editing' of online world news at RNZ - and asks two experts what may come out of the investigation into how it happened. Also: Mediawatch asks about claims that state-sponsored offshore disinformation campaigns could be undermining our media.

Dr Jack Watling is joining us again on the situation in Ukraine as the battles resume with improved weather on the ground, and a long summer of warfare seeming to be in store.

The Little Girl is going away, and the Little Boy has arrived.

 There have been various studies about whether it's best to exercise early or late in the day. Now there's new research.

After recently separating from her partner, she discovered a new loneliness.

It's said that 15-20% of people, perhaps up to a quarter of the population, are in some category of neurodivergence.

Lucy Balfour was born and raised in Canterbury. She danced for 10 years with the Royal New Zealand Ballet before moving to London and joining the renowned dance company, Rambert in 2013.

How stories about the war in Ukraine ended up with a pro-Russian slant on RNZ's website; reports of crime are on the up but does the story change when reporters run the numbers before running a story?

Michael Hurst is one of our finest and most versatile actors, with a haul of awards for television and film both locally and internationally. He's directed more than 90 professional stage productions, and TV shows including Spartacus, West Side, My Life is Murder, 800 Words, The Brokenwood Mysteries and Power Rangers. Michael joins Jim Mora ahead of a spectacular Auckland Theatre Company production of King Lear, to mark its 30th anniversary. Playing the King, Michael is joined on stage by his wife Jennifer Ward-Lealand. Jim Mora talked to Michael ahead of the final rehearsals for the play, which opens this coming week.

Internationally renowned composer and saxophonist Lucien Johnson joins us ahead of his co-created show with Hannah Tasker-Poland, The Most Naked, A Cabaret of Skin and Bone opening at Q Theatre in Auckland.

One of the brightest stars in the sky is behaving strangely, pulsating from bright to dim twice as quickly as usual. At the moment Betelgeuse is very bright in the night. What's going on? If anyone knows it'll be Alan Gilmore. Alan's one of our most distinguished astronomers; he once ran the Mt John Observatory and is still involved with the near-asteroid programme at Mt John with his wife, Pam.

Are you sensitive, maybe overly sensitive, you think? There's a new book for you, it's called 'Sensitive: The Hidden Power of the Highly Sensitive Person in a Loud, Fast, Too-Much World'. In a world where sensitivity is often regarded as a weakness, co-author of the book, Andrew Solo joins us to tell us what sensitivity actually is, and why it's a help and not a hindrance in getting through day-to-day living.

At just 16 years of age, Tauranga's Venice Harris has already travelled the world starring in big stage musicals like Annie, Les Miserables and The Sound of Music. Her talent's taken her to Australia, the Philippines, Singapore and Japan. Many New Zealanders will have seen her in the lead role of Matilda which came to Auckland. She joins us to introduce her new track Tug of War.

Animal behaviour expert Zazie Todd is back again. This time to talk cats. Zazie's the award-winning author of Wag: The Science of Making Your Dog Happy, and Purr: The Science of Making Your Cat Happy. She created a popular blog, Companion Animal Psychology, she co-hosts The Pawsitive Post in Conversation podcast, and she has a column at Psychology Today. She's also a certified dog trainer. Zazie Todd lives in British Columbia with her husband, one dog, and two cats.

Imagine how it would be to visit a museum, and see your own heart in a display case. That's what's happened to Jennifer Sutton at the Hunterian Museum in London, 16 years after the heart she was born with was removed as she underwent transplant surgery.

Mediawatch talks to the radio industry's top spokesperson who called on commercial companies to curb their rivalry - and the brains behind a small music radio network spreading around the country - but without ads. Also: a controversial proposal to change the way our media content is regulated.

Michelle Gomez has appeared in innumerable British sitcoms and American dramas. In recent times she's been a baddie: as Missy, aka The Master, Dr Who's female nemesis, and Lilith in the hit show The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. Michelle also played the angry Miranda Croft in HBO's The Flight Attendant. She's in Auckland as one of the stars of Wintergeddon at the Auckland showgrounds this coming weekend. It's the first big Armageddon event since Covid, with 70,000 fans expect through the doors to meet the celebs and celebrate the many fantasy, scifi and gaming universes that so many people immerse themselves in.

If there's one singer in New Zealand you might apply the phrase 'Prima diva' to, it would be Jackie Clarke. Having been in The Ladykillers and When The Cat's Been Spayed she was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to entertainment and named Top Female Artist by the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand. She's heading all over New Zealand on her new Prima Diva Tour.

Marking the last Sunday Morning of NZ Music Month 2023, art-pop duo Clementine Valentine join us to introduce their new single 'Endless Night'

How we see the world is not just what we see, or hear, or smell. Dr Ashley Ward is Professor of Animal Behaviour at the University of Sydney. He has studied creatures great and small on travels that have ranged from the Serengeti plains in Africa to the Antarctic Ocean.

In Tautua: Inked in Service, RNZ Social Media Journalist Faivaeselopepe Anric Sitanilei undergoes the transformative process of receiving the traditional Samoan malofie, also known as the tatau. A celebration of heritage, tradition, and dedication to family and community, the documentary unveils the evolving role of the tatau in a changing world, and its testament to Samoan heart and spirit.

The trailer for our latest homegrown creature feature, The Tank racked up more than a million views in its first week of release in the U.S. It marks a return to NZ and to directing here by Scott Walker.

A new podcast aims to break down taboos around sex and relationships. The Good Sex Project launches today, and host Melody Thomas joins us.

Ian Hickling is calling home from Barbados, off the north-east coast of South America, our in the Caribbean Sea about 1000 kilometres from the coast of Venezuela. Those of who've not been to Barbados may think it's tiny, but in fact it's the size of greater Wellington if you add in the Hutt Valley and Porirua. Barbados is an independent British Commonwealth nation. Bridgetown, the capital, sees a lot of cruise ships, and tourists enjoy the brilliant beaches, and quite a lot besides.

Lessons for Loafers Lodge investigation in the long game of the UK's Grenfell saga; new fund backing business and economics coverage; an hour of Gower (and friends . . . and his issues).

Kennedy Warne, the founding editor of New Zealand Geographic connects his lifelong exploration of the underwater world with a global story of humanity's relationship with the sea in his new book Soundings.

The Governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis has launched his bid to be the next US president. What makes this move big news is of course his rivalry with Donald Trump for the hearts and votes of conservative Americans. We discuss his prospects with POLITICO'S Josh Gerstein.

David Curtis, a 13-year-old Wellington schoolboy in 1970 was the youngest singer ever to make the NZ Top 20 charts as they were then, and the record sold 170,000 copies on vinyl. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree then with our next guest. Michael Vercoe is David's son, and a musician. He joins us to share his third single call Vegas.

We hear about the amount of money we'll need in retirement and for many people it seems like a long way from reality. The KiwiSaver advisory firm National Capital has released its first KiwiSaver Value for Money Report. Managing director Clive Fernandes joins us.

We are the shaky isles, but at the opposite end of the world some places we don't think of as shaky are becoming more so. A town in northern Finland was hit this year by 26 frost quakes in 7 hours. That's a world record. They've just confirmed the data on this. So what are frost quakes? Jarkko Okkonen joins us from the Geological Society of Finland.

When they say in recipes to add a dash of salt or a pinch of salt; how much is that, exactly? How about a dollop, a drizzle of olive oil, that's quite a common instruction, or a smidgeon? A smidgeon is actually a precise measurement. Many of these words are. Claire Cock-Starkey has made a name for herself writing books of curiosities: about hyphens and hashtags, how they regarded death in mediaeval England, and ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs. Two of her previous titles have been How to Skin a Lion and Penguins, Pineapples and Pangolins. The new title from Claire is 'The Curious History of Weights & Measures' published by Bodleian Library Publishing.

The gathering of food and people to share a meal is at the heart of Award-winning food photographer Christall Lowe's family life. Her book KAI - Food stories and recipes from my family table, is a homage to life, food, flavours and memory. This week Christall's book won the Judith Binney Prize for illustrated non-fiction at the Ockham book awards

Regular listeners will remember Irish wildlife ecologist and bird behaviouralist Grainne Cleary who is usually based in Melbourne. Grainne has made it to Aotearoa for the Auckland Writers Festival and has had a chance to check our birdlife for the very first time - find out what she thinks.

Gore blimey - a little local political difficulty pulls national media focus; Politicians seeking platforms for political reveals.

Usually on Calling Home we talk to kiwis who've been living overseas for quite a while. We thought we'd change tack this week and get some first impressions of a radically different place to live. Basketball star Tai Wynyard, the youngest-ever Tall Black to step onto the court and play for his country, has taken his family to China, to play for the Shanghai Sharks.

One woman who knows all about banned books, and the attention they inadvertently draw, is Dr Emma Smith, Professor of Shakespeare studies at Oxford University. She's the author of Portable Magic: A History of Books and Their Readers.

Set on a single day in 2016, Cliff Taylor's novel, The Spanish Garden tells a story of memory and loss, the fatal history shared between two families, Pakeha and Maori, and a man's enduring obsession with love.

Was the artist Andy Warhol the first influencer of our age? That's the premise of 'Andy Warhol & Photography: A Social Media' at the Art Gallery of South Australia. Julie Robinson has curated it, she teaches Art History at the University of Adelaide, and she's the Senior Curator of Prints, Drawings & Photographs at the Gallery.

Falepipi He Mafola Niuean Handcraft Group (Falepipi He Mafola) will celebrate their 30 years with an exhibition at Ma¯ngere Arts Centre - Nga Tohu O Uenuku over eight weeks. Susana Lei'ataua took some time this week to visit the exhibition and learn about the work of the group with one of their founding members, Molly Pihigia.

Calling Home this week is ex-Dunedin and Lyttleton fiddler and bootmaker Flora Knight who now calls Guthrie, Oklahoma home.

Safe or sorry? Some still shrugging off storm warnings; an offshore outfit rating reliability of our news - and trying to train the AI chatbots; angst over not-so-Super Rugby on screen.

As the nation watched the King's coronation last weekend, one personality shone out from our screens - Suzanne Paul, New Zealand's infomercial queen.

As the Eurovision song contest reaches its auto-tuned crescendo in Liverpool, comedian Laura Daniel cast a discerning pop-diva eye over the proceedings and looks ahead to her and her husband Joseph Moore's show at Auckland's Q Theatre Til Death Do Us Hearts as part of the NZ International Comedy Festival.

Mother and daughter, Annabel & Rose Langbein are two of our most-loved cooks and celebrated food writers. We reunite mother and daughter for Mother's Day and they share their perfect Mother's Day recipe for Pear, Nutmeg and Walnut Cake.

Pipiwharauroa Campbell , lead singer of the popular Aotearoa group Corrella joins us to talk about their new Te Reo Maori waiata 'Ko Au'.

The Coronation of King Charles officially welcomes in a new era for New Zealand and the Commonwealth. One of the biggest changes is the need to play the game of celebrity, according to historian Katie Pickles, and King Charles is acutely aware of the need to modernise. But does King Charles care if New Zealand remains in the Commonwealth?

Dr Gery Karantzas is a therapist and a professor in the fields of Social Psychology and Relationship Science at Deakin University in Melbourne.

Dr Christiaan De Beukelaer is an anthropologist researching eco-friendly shipping. He boarded the Avontuur, a 1920s sailboat, in February 2020 as a shipmate. It was supposed to be a three-week field trip, but it turned into about five months at sea.

In a first for their website, AudioCulture have launched the AudioCulture Classic NZ Album Readers Poll for 2023. They're inviting you, the public, to pick which locally recorded and produced album you consider to be the very best of all time.

In Leta McCollough Seletzky's 'father-daughter memoir', she reconstructs the "life of a black spy" in 1960s America.

Calling home this royal weekend is former Aucklander Rhys Dunne, in Edinburgh. Rhys went to St Peter's College and these days he works in IT. Work took him to London in 2015, and from there he moved north.

The Coronation - constitutional conundrum or just a king-size media spectacle?; political defection takes media by surprise.

Vanda joined us the day before the funeral of the Queen. Now she joins on the evening of the coronation in the UK.

It has been predicted by some in the UK that the monarchy could be on its last legs by 2030.

New Zealand journalist Christian Smith joined the crowds in London's Hyde Park to watch the coronation.

As the longest-serving heir to the throne in British history is crowned at Westminster Abbey. We catch up with the Daily Mail's Royal Correspondent, Rebecca English to reflect on the day's events.

New Zealand's first rainbow listing of a significant building has just been announced. 23 Ridgway Street in Whanganui was the private office of the city's former Mayor - Charles Mackay. In 1920 Mackay shot returned soldier Walter D'Arcy Cresswell through the chest because Cresswell was threatening to out Mackay as homosexual, if he didn't resign as mayor immediately. Former District Councillor and Whanganui Businessman James Barron was behind the campaign to get the building recognized. Other buildings on the Heritage New Zealand Rainbow Project list include Frank Sargeson's Takapuna residence, and a 19th Century Cuba St building in Wellington connected to Carmen Rupe, the trailblazing transgender woman and entertainer. James Barron explains to Sunday Morning the importance of recognising these buildings.

This week an open letter signed by more than 25,000 people, including Elon Musk and Apple's Steve Wozniak has called for all Artificial Intelligence labs to immediately pause the training of AI systems more powerful that GPT-4 to for at least six months. The letter asked rhetorically, 'Should we risk loss of control of our civilization?' Associate Professor Grant Duncan from Massey University says the letter assumed that 'our civilization' is something that 'we' had been controlling. He joins Sunday Morning to explain why he believes the open letter was unrealistic about the effectiveness of a six-month pause and what could be achieved within that time.

Psychotherapist Sandra Russell shares her experience of confronting the emotional challenges of living with incurable cancer in her book The Feeling of Cancer. Beyond the physical and medical demands of modern cancer treatment, she looks at the emotional impacts and how cancer can threaten not just your life, but your very identity.

Author Morra Aarons-Mele is a (mostly) happy, successful person. She also identifies as an extremely anxious overachiever, and she's working to normalize anxiety. In her latest book "The Anxious Achiever: Turn Your Biggest Fears into Your Leadership Superpower," she digs deep into how we can manage and use our anxiety to our advantage. She says the book is not just for anxious people, it is for anybody who feels like anxiety is impacting their daily life.

In 1979 an aspiring filmmaker, cameraman and sound recordist went to a little Masterton school to follow the lives of a group of students. The school was Makoura College, a small, predominantly Maori low decile school. For two years the students felt like film stars while the crew followed them around the campus. It made them dream big, consider the infinite possibilities of life and what might happen when their high school years finished. For many years the film, Learning Fast couldn't be found. It was finally tracked down and has been digitised by Nga Taonga Sound and Vision and will feature at this year's Wairarapa Film Festival. Festival organiser Jane Ross has invited the filmmakers to return for the screening. The director is none other than Dame Gaylene Preston, the camera operator Alun Bollinger, and the sound recordist, Lee Tamahori, all now internationally acclaimed filmmakers. Jane is now hoping to find the stars of the film and bring them all together at the Wairarapa Film Festival.

Dr Yaniv Hanoch is a Professor in Decision Science at Southampton Business School. He has spent his career looking at decision making and risk-taking across the lifespan and across domains. His latest research looks at the thousands of decisions we make every day, like choosing what to wear or whether to have cereal or toast for breakfast. Dr Hanoch says contrary to belief, having fewer choices is better than having more. And even with less choice there is often emotion attached to the process. he tells Sunday Morning about strategies to help us make better decisions that are more maximising and satisfying.

Heritage Hiking Tour Guide Tony Everitt talks about life in Atami, Japan where he has been living with his wife for eight years. The region has stunning natural and cultural heritage, is a UNESCO Geopark which means it has active volcanoes and hot springs (including one in his bathroom) and beautiful flora & fauna. 70% of Japan's land area has been planted in indigenous forest as they furiously suck carbon out of the air. Atami is on Japan's 60-year-old main trunk bullet train line, Tokaido, which can get Tony to Tokyo station in 45 minutes travelling at 285 kph. Tony is Calling Home from Atami and shares his life with Sunday Morning.

Stuff takes the paywall plunge; fear of brain drain drowns out victory for Kiwis' rights across the ditch; economic predictions wide of the mark.

American Singer-songwriter Natalie Merchant thought she would never sing again after spinal surgery three years ago. The operation involved surgeons having to make an incision in her throat and move her vocal chords. But the 59-year-old did recover and has just recorded her new album Keep Your Courage. Many of Merchant's songs explore personal and very emotional themes, and often address complex social and political issues. Her latest album is inspired by poet Robin Robertson whose work she read during her recovery, and the coronavirus pandemic.

Health officials are warning this year's flu season could be one of our worst, and the push is on to get vaccinated. There has been a sharp rise in Influenza B strains which haven't been widely circulating since 2019 and reports that flu cases have more than doubled in recent weeks. Influenza can be deadly, especially for some of our most vulnerable, and there are real concerns our immunity is low after Covid. Hospitals are getting prepared for the winter period with Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand announcing their winter plan in the next week. Te Whatu Ora's interim national medical director Dr Pete Watson, joins Sunday Morning to discuss the current strain of influenza, how it is different to Covid, and how we can better prepare.

Nicholas Humphrey is a theoretical psychologist, based in Cambridge, who is known for his work on the evolution of human intelligence and consciousness. He studied mountain gorillas with Dian Fossey in Rwanda, he was the first to demonstrate the existence of "blindsight" after brain damage in monkeys, he proposed the celebrated theory of the "social function of intellect, and he is the only scientist ever to edit the literary journal Granta. He has been the recipient of several honours, including the Martin Luther King Memorial Prize, the British Psychological Society's book award, the Pufendorff Medal and the Mind and Brain Prize. He has been Lecturer in Psychology at Oxford, Assistant Director of the Subdepartment of Animal Behaviour at Cambridge, Senior Research Fellow in Parapsychology at Cambridge, Professor of Psychology at the New School for Social Research, New York, and School Professor at the London School of Economics. He's written many books, his latest, Sentience: The Invention of Consciousness is available now.

Anne Perry the famous New Zealand crime novelist - formally Juliet Hulme the infamous Christchurch teenager convicted of murder - died last week at aged 84. The murder of Honorah Parker by her daughter Pauline and friend Juliet Hulme rocked New Zealand in 1954, and has stayed in our public memory. The crime was later dramatised in Peter Jackson's film 'Heavenly Creatures'. Yet Anne Perry managed an extraodinary reinvention; leaving behind a country gripped by the Parker-Hulme case and forging a new life as a bestselling crime writer in a remote part of England. But can one ever leave a past like that behind? Will the public allow it? Anne Perry's biographer, Dr Joanne Drayton joins us.

Te Whare Wananga o Waitaha the University of Canterbury is raising a glass to knowledge with a series of talks. Raising The Bar is an evening of 20 talks across 10 bar venues throughout Otautahi Christchurch and wider Waitaha Canterbury. These include improving mental health, resisting antibiotic resistance, AI in business and How to Stop Hating Exercise. We're well and truly into Autumn and those new year's resolutions are starting to feel like a distant memory so how can we keep ourselves fit and healthy and our bodies moving throughout the winter. Dr Susannah Stevens from their School of Child Wellbeing focuses her research on learning and well-being - looking at movement pleasure, the body, and how learning occurs with the whole body, not just the mind.

Louisa Lim is no stranger to controversy - her first book The People's Republic of Amnesia - Tiananmen Revisited resulted in her being unable to visit mainland China for years. When the Hong Kong protests began over concerns about an extradition treaty, and escalated to a crackdown on freedom of expression, award-winning journalist Louisa Lim found herself uniquely placed to capture the city's untold history in her most recent, Stella Prize shortlisted Indelible City: Dispossession and Defiance in Hong Kong. A former correspondent for the BBC and NPR, and now a Senior Lecturer at University of Melbourne, Louisa is coming to Auckland next month for an event at the Auckland Writers Festival.

What's the government plan for public media now?; regional news start-up seeking reporters and backing; airline snack swap secures sparks media appetite.

There are various sacred walking journeys throughout the world and its religions. The most famous is probably the Way of St James, the Camino de Santiago in Spain. Writer and educator Sir Anthony Seldon wants another one, in memory of the sacrifices of the first World War. He has written the book The Path of Peace to promote that idea, and he's done the walk himself. Anthony Seldon's known for his political biographies of Margaret Thatcher, John Major, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Theresa May. He was headmaster of Wellington College, and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Buckingham. He's written or edited 45 books on contemporary history, politics and education. He founded the global charity Action for Happiness, he's a governor of the Royal Shakespeare Company, and last but not least he's also the honorary historical adviser to No. 10 Downing Street. The Path of Peace describes his 1000-kilometre walk along the route of the Western Front.

A special event organised by Greenpeace Aotearoa and Forest & Bird calling for an end to bottom trawling in the Hauraki Gulf will go ahead at Auckland's Mission Bay today after windy weather meant the event was postponed last weekend. 'Show Your Heart for the Hauraki' culminates in a floating 'ban bottom trawling' banner being deployed and met by a flotilla and over 200 crafts, from kayaks to skiffs, fishing boats and yachts have registered to take part Bianca Ranson is Forest & Bird's Hauraki Gulf Coordinator

Historian Herb Farrant joins us in the buildup to ANZAC Day, not from Gallipoli, but from another place in the world where our sacrifices in the first World War will always be remembered.

Celebrated Australian entertainer Barry Humphries - creator of the one and only Dame Edna Everidge - has died aged 89 in Sydney. We talk to BBC entertainment correspondent Neil Smith about the impact Barry Humphries about the impact his characters had in Britain. 

The Third season of the award-winning podcast Conversations with my Immigrant Parents is out. Co-creator Julie Zhu joins us to talk about the series.

The 11th International Urban Sketchers Symposium is taking place in Auckland next week. We're joined by keen sketcher and one of the Symposium organisers, Eric Ngan.

After being overwhelmed with queries earlier in the week, Tony Murrell joins us again to take your autumn gardening questions.

Auckander Jono Rankine is calling home from Hong Kong

Considered one of the greatest conductors in the world, Sir Donald Runnicles makes his New Zealand debut this month. He talks to us about his life and career as well as what he's looking forward to in New Zealand. 

A group of New Zealand scientists working at the cutting-edge of electrical engineering hope to make inroads into the problem of getting electric planes into the air. One of those scientists is Professor Rod Badcock from Paihau-Robinson Research Institute He joins us to talk about his area of expertise - superconducting engineering - and whether New Zealand could be at the forefront of electric aviation.

Auckland flood response review finds arms-length Council didn't use media effectively; media droning on about flying pizza - again; a fake news backflip.

If you think men today are too feminine, kids today are spoiled, and we need to get back to teaching the basics, Paul Fairie's says we've seen it all before.

Barbara Helen Else - also known as Barbara Neale - is an acclaimed New Zealand writer, editor, and playwright.  She speaks to us about her new memoir 'Laughing at the Dark' released this week by Penguin Books.

On Monday, NASA and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) announced the four astronauts who will venture around the Moon on Artemis II, the first crewed mission in more than 50 years. The space agency hopes to establish the first long-term presence on the moon and, using knowledge gleaned from those efforts, send the first humans to Mars. Joining us to discuss the new is the chair of Women in Space Aotearoa, Space sector consultant and Aerospace Engineer, Kate Breach.

The Rainbow Warrior bombing back in 1985 is fairly familiar to us here in Aotearoa. There have been TV documentaries and even a feature film telling the tale too. But it's not so well known around the world - until now, perhaps. A new three-part documentary series called Murder in The Pacific has just screened in the UK on BBC TV. The reviews are in - and they're good. TVNZ tells us 'Murder in the Pacific' will screen here later this year. Colin Peacock asked director Chloe Campbell and executive producer Caroline Hawkins how they pitched it to the BBC.

Twenty five years ago the Good Friday Agreement was signed in Northern Ireland. It effectively ended armed hostilities between Republicans (or Nationalists) who wanted a united Ireland and Loyalists who wanted to remain part of the UK. A whole generation has come of age in this new era. Among them is the man who hosts BBC Ulster's Sunday Morning show, Steven Rainey.

Calling home this week is Julian Kirwan, a former flight attendant from Christchurch who has established a successful café chain and is well and truly settled in the Dutch metropolis of Amsterdam.

Do you sometimes get the feeling that music just isn't as good as it used to be? You might not be alone. Tom ter Bogt, a cultural psychologist and professor of pop music at the University of Utrecht might be able to explain.

One of the surprise streaming hits of the last few months is a show called Colin From Accounts. Our own Colin from RNZ spoke to co-creator and actor Patrick Brammall.

With the 87th Masters Golf Tournament taking place in Augusta, Georgia, we talk to Stuff's Senior Sports Columnist, Mark Reason.

Netflix's latest political thriller series, The Night Agent has been at the top of the charts on the service lately. Local talent, Luciane Buchanan plays the role of a cybersecurity expert who gets caught up in White House skulduggery and international espionage.

The number 1 bestselling author of numerous thrillers including Don't Let Go, Home, and Fool Me Once, with more than 70 million books in print around the world and books published in 45 languages, Harlan Coben has just published his latest book ' I Will Find You'. He joins us from his home in New Jersey.

With the long weekend coming up, outdoors author, editor and photographer, Shaun Barnett joins us to take your questions on the best ways and the best tracks to get out tramping this Easter.

Otautahi songwriter Bryony Matthews has just released the title track from her upcoming album and is about to begin a short tour around the country. The track is called We're All the same.

Clarkisha Kent is a Nigerian American writer, editor and pop culture critic who's writing has been featured in outlets like Entertainment Weekly, HuffPost, MTV News, The Root, and more. Her debut memoir called Fat Off, Fat On. A Big Bitch Manifesto chronicles her long journey to deprogram herself from the anti-fat socio-cultural messaging that she absorbed while growing up. And she's hoping it will act as a guide to help readers deprogram themselves too.

Arts Access Aotearoa was established in 1995, it's mission to increase access to the arts for people who experience barriers to participation as artists, performers, audience members, and gallery and museum visitors. It does this by working in the disability, mental health, and Deaf communities, and through a network of community arts organisations. It also advises the Department of Corrections and advocates for the arts as a tool to support rehabilitation of prisoners and their reintegration into the community on release. Kaiwhakahaere Matua/Chief Executive Richard Benge Joins us.

New Zealand's unique landscapes and Jurassic-like environments feature in a new tv documentary series on tyrannosaurs. The series, which will also be seen on giant IMAX screens, and in natural history museums around the world, is a follow on from the hugely popular Dinosaurs of Antarctica, which was also filmed in new Zealand. The production has just finished filming in New Zealand. We catch up with director Dave Clark in Washington DC.

It's been three years since celebrated New Zealand chef Peter Gordon returned to New Zealand from the UK. He was lucky to get a flight home as the country was going into lockdown. He'd spent 31 years based in the UK, celebrating, and sharing flavours of New Zealand with the world and even cooking for royalty. But he left in a hurry, and hardly had a chance to say goodbye to his mates, thinking he'd be back in a few months. But our borders closed and that didn't happen. He is now celebrating three years in Auckland.

The untidy end of Today FM - and 30 years of talk radio history; further fallout from coverage of the short-but-sharp visit of provocateur Posie Parker - and the protest that drowned her out.

Donald Kerr is the former head of Special Collections at the University of Otago library. He's written numerous books on fascinating New Zealand characters, collectors and collections. They include Hocken: Prince of Collectors, The Smell of Powder: A history of Duelling in New Zealand and Amassing Treasures for All Times; Sir George Grey Colonial Bookman and Collector. His latest book, which is nearing completion, is about a man named Ernie Webber. Not a name most Kiwis would be familiar with, but someone with a fascinating story.

One of Aotearoa's leading Maori history scholars is to be recognised for his work revitalising te reo Maori as a researcher, translator, writer, and editor. Ross Calman has authored more than a dozen works, including books on the Treaty of Waitangi and the New Zealand Wars, edited more than 100 books in te reo Maori and English, translated a number of books into te reo Maori, and written numerous articles and chapters on Maori history and traditional Maori society. One of his most well-known books is He Pukapuka Tataku i nga Mahi a Te Rauparaha Nui - A Record of the Life of the Great Te Rauparaha. He has described it as a pinnacle in his career,. Ross will receive an Honorary Doctorate from Te Whare Wananga o Waitaha University of Canterbury in a ceremony next week.

Australia's first purpose-built office space designed by the Deaf, for the Deaf has just opened in Melbourne. The office is home to Expression Australia, which is the Deaf and Hard of Hearing organisation. CEO Nicky Long joins us.

The Phoenix Foundation is one of New Zealand's most well loved bands, and the fact they're still going after nearly 25 years is testament to that. Next Saturday they are the headline act at the One Fine Day Festival in Whanganui

The Ten Tenors have been a concert experience since 1995, and are the world's longest-running classical crossover act seamlessly transitioning between operatic arias and modern day ballads with amazing 10 part harmonies. They're about to tour New Zealand and there are two Kiwis in their mix. Cameron Barclay and Andrew Papas.

The news that the Oxford English Dictionary has added 'chur' and 36 te reo words to their collection prompted AudioCulture's Chris Bourke to look into the history of the word.

Whanganui born Alex Rothman is calling home from Tashkent in Uzbekistan where he teaches high school history.

In the small town north Canterbury town of Amberley, Rachel Scott has made bread her life. 

UK provocateur captures media's attention; lifting the lid on lobbying, ministers - and the media; a source burned and spurned - in the public interest?

Dr Owen Jones is research fellow in the Department of Psychology at Otago University. An expert in memory, Alzheimer's and the much rarer, earlier-onset fronto-temporal dementia - brought to public attention recently following actor Bruce Willis' diagnosis. He joins us to talk about how our memory works and how we can keep it healthier for longer.

An international collaboration between Dutch and New Zealand artists sees the opening of a new exhibition, 'Smells like Roses - Rozengeur' at Foxton's Mapuna Kabinet Art Gallery. We're joined by co-curator, Arjan van der Boon.

New Zealand Rugby hopes to triple the number of women referees in the game announcing a new scholarship for women referees this week. One of the best in the game, referee Natarsha Ganley joins us to tell us what it takes.

Last week Prime Minister Chris Hipkins announced a change in focus to what the Labour Government considers are its two main priorities: recovery from cyclone Gabrielle and helping New Zealanders cope with the cost of living Crisis. This has prompted some quarters to call for a parliamentary review into the big profits being made by banks. Research New Zealand have been looking into what aspects of New Zealanders' spending are being impacted by the cost of living crisis and what appetite - if any - there is for investigating the profits of our retail and finance industries. Managing partner of Research New Zealand, Emanuel Kalafatelis takes us through the results.

Stewart and Tricia Macpherson are celebrating 50 years on the road as NZ's longest serving promoters and probably the world's longest serving duo. They have stories to tell about Kenny Rogers, Donny Osmond, Glenn Campbell and Boy George to name but a few.

A prolific researcher, Professor Ray Jayawardhana investigates the diversity and origins of planets and the prospects for life in the universe, using the world's largest telescopes. His discoveries have garnered widespread attention and numerous accolades. He speaks to Anna about where his fascination with the Universe began and how close are we to finding life beyond Earth?

How many times do you check your emails a day - do you send emails outside regular work hours? Do you check your work emails after you knock off work, if you wake in the night will you check your emails or socials? An extensive study by a US psychologist has found that on average, we check our work emails 77 times a day. How But what kind of affect is that having on our mental health and life in general? Psychologist Dougal Sutherland, CEO of workplace consultancy Umbrella Wellbeing joins us.

Calling Home this week is writer, photographer and researcher Kayt Bronnimann, who lives in Taichung City , Taiwan. This is Kayt's second stint living in Taiwan, she decided with the cost of living rising in New Zealand and the opportunity to travel returning, it was time to return to the hostly contested island nation in the South China Sea.

Polls and policy bonfire create climate contradiction; a muted media response to March 15; apology; talk radio outbursts spark apology.

How much exercise do we really need to stay healthy? Only 11 minutes of brisk walking a day could help prevent premature death, according to new research.

Chef Al Brown is no stranger to Sunday Mornings. He's cooking up a Cyclone Gabrielle relief banquet, hoping to create New Zealand's "biggest-ever dinner party". Backed by the Restaurant Association, 'Cooking up a Storm' will be hosted in hospitality establishments across the country on March 20.

New Zealand's aid efforts to the Ukraine, have come in many forms to date: our troops have been training Ukrainian soldiers, the government and people of New Zealand have given millions of dollars and there are kiwis on the ground delivering much needed food and medical supplies and performing evacuations in some of the hardest hit areas. Kiwi Kare is one of those agencies. They have just acquired a fleet of retired St John ambulances to take over to the war torn country. Kiwi Kare founder and director, Tenby Powell joins us.

Don MacLean's most famous song, American Pie turns 50 this year and the award-winning singer and songwriter brings his American Pie 50th Anniversary Tour to New Zealand. He joins us to talk about his love for New Zealand the songs that make him happy.

If you've ever been in Auckland or Wellington when the Tongan national Rugby Union or League team is playing you'll know how passionate their fans are. A new feature film, Red, White and Brass brings that passion to the big screen. Co-writer and co-producer Halaifonua (Nua) Finau and lead actor John-Paul Foliaki are with us.

What sort of conversations do we have with money? If they involve swearing, that probably isn't the right way of going about things. According to Lynda Moore the way to make your money grow involves a different kind of language. The money coach and former accountant talks to Anna about her new book Conversations With Money - A Love Story and how to change your money language. 

Each year New Zealander's are swindled out of millions of their hard earned dollars by scam artists and fraudsters. The NZ International Fraud Film Festival 2023 returns to Auckland later this month with a line-up of films that exposes the underbelly of fraud and its impact globally and locally. This year's Festival programme explores the psychology of fraudsters, how the public can be exploited, institutional corruption, forgery, scam prevention, cyber criminals and more Paul O'Neil is a former acting director of the Serious Fraud Office and is the spokesman for the festival.

The Corrs rank among the most successful Irish bands of all time, having sold 40 million albums worldwide across a career spanning three decades. The band will play Auckland's Spark Arena on Thursday, November 9 before heading to Christchurch's Hagley Park on Saturday, November 11. We're joined by the 'big sister' of the band - violinist, vocalist and keyboards player Sharon Corr 

It's the start of Sleep Week. Dr. Rosie Gibson and Dr Karyn O'keefe from the Sleep/Wake Research Centre at Massey University join us to answer your sleep questions. 

Calling Home this week is director, producer, and designer Jo Luping. Jo grew up in Wellington - but her family ties to Sabah, Malaysia prompted her to move there where she is helping develop the region's creative industries. [picture id="4O2VBFR_0adb2400_3a62_47e9_907a_d411803ac9cf_jpg" crop="1x1" layout="full"]

Media run the rule over policy on kids and consultants; Michelle Duff on journalism and switching to fiction; awkwards questions over media merger bills - and what comes next.

Rio Hemopo of TrinityRoots and Breaks Co-op fame is part of an all-star band of Aotearoa musicians bring us The Bill Withers Social Club. Alongside vocalists Troy Kingi, Dallas Tamaira, L. A. Mitchell, and band members Iraia Whakamoe, Ryan Prebble, Adán Tijerina and Daniel Hayles - they will perform a tribute to the late Bill Withers as part of the Auckland Arts Festival.

Video games may not be the waste of time you thought they were.

Sir Rod Stewart returns to New Zealand in April with shows in Dunedin, Napier and Auckland. He talks about getting older, how he keeps fit and what keeps him happy.

A lack of information for families of those living with complex mental health conditions prompted my next guest to pursue a degree in psychology - but even that wasn't enough. Journalist Elfy Scott's book "The One Thing We've Never Spoken About" is an account of her childhood where her mother's schizophrenia was rarely, if ever, discussed.