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Our Changing World headlines with summaries.
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Genomics and the future of gene technology in Aotearoa
29 Aug 2024Advances in the field of genomics (the study of DNA and genomes) have meant big leaps in our ability to sequence, understand and manipulate the genomes of living things. Damian Christie explores…
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What else can we learn from wastewater?
Wastewater testing became part of our daily lives during the Covid-19 pandemic, but what else can it tell us about what's happening in our communities? From looking for illicit drugs, to monitoring…
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Imagining the next generation of robofish
15 Aug 2024They will look like fish, swim like fish and even sense like fish. Liz Garton meets a research team designing robofish and smart wetsuits to monitor the state of our oceans.
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Our musical minds
Making and processing music is something unique to human brains, says Dr Sam Mehr. But why are we so attuned to rhythms, melodies and matching tones? Claire and Sam take a deep dive into the universal…
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A year of mainland kākāpō
1 Aug 2024In July 2023 four male kākāpō were released into the fenced Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari – part of a new habitat trial to investigate suitable locations for the growing kākāpō population. But…
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A voyage of deep-sea discoveries
25 Jul 2024An expedition to the Bounty Trough off the Otago Coast uncovers a treasure trove of deep-sea creatures – including some species new to science. Veronika Meduna meets slimy fish, snails, and tiny…
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Turning food waste into wealth
Avocado seed powder to make snacks, fish waste skin for wound healing, and bioactive compounds made from brewer’s spent grain – Claire Concannon visits a food lab at AUT turning food waste into…
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Looking to the future for a low-lying wetland
11 Jul 2024Climate-change-induced sea level rise is happening. What will this mean for our low-lying wetlands? Will they get eroded away – releasing more carbon? Or will they grow at the same rate, and hold…
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The world through squid eyes
We might think deep-sea squid look a bit strange, but if they have the capacity for it, they would likely consider us monsters! Claire speaks to a squidologist and a PhD candidate about their research…
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The annual snowline survey
Jump onboard an alpine flight to photograph some glaciers! The annual snowline survey has been running since 1977, but today new techniques are allowing researchers to go beyond 2D photos to make 3D…
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Introducing: Turning The Tide
25 Jun 2024A new six-part video series highlights the state of our oceans, and efforts from researchers, Māori and other partners to develop sustainable solutions.
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Targeting bacteria, and health inequities
Māori and Pacific peoples are three to six times more likely to develop stomach cancer than New Zealanders with European ancestry. Claire Concannon visits a research team taking aim at this disparity.
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Drones for pest control
13 Jun 2024Aotearoa is a country plagued by pests, but conservationists are hoping advances in drone technology could turn the tables. Producer William Ray looks at how drones are being trialled in controlling…
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Inside Auckland's lava caves
Caves created by rivers of lava underlie New Zealand’s biggest city. A new research project is documenting Auckland's lava caves, hoping to protect this hidden geological heritage and understand what…
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The race to save Papua New Guinea's frogs
30 May 2024A deadly frog fungus has decimated frog populations around the world, but frog biodiversity hotspot Papua New Guinea remains untouched – for now. In this episode of ABC podcast Pacific Scientific…
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How much of our extreme weather is due to climate change?
This week, Phil Vine dives into the science of climate attribution. How much is climate change affecting extreme weather events? And how can this new science prepare us for the future?
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Fungal foray-ing and the search for new antibiotics
16 May 2024Could the answer to one of our most pressing health needs be hiding in Aotearoa’s bush? On Our Changing World this week, Liz Garton heads out on a foray to discover some of our fungal gems, and she…
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Understanding our nearshore island volcanoes - Whakaari and Tūhua
9 May 2024A multi-year research project aims to find out the risks from two Bay of Plenty offshore island volcanoes: Tūhua / Mayor Island and Whakaari / White Island
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The 2023 Prime Minister’s Science Prizes: Communicating volcano science and sampling soils
2 May 2024Meet two winners of the 2023 Prime Ministers Science Prizes. In the wake of the 2019 Whakaari eruption, Professor Ben Kennedy engaged communities with the science of volcano hazards – mahi that earns…
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Turning the tide – what it takes to take out rats
Kate Evans visits a passionate team as they carpet a remote volcanic island in Tonga with poisoned bait, hoping to eradicate rats. What does it take to complete this kind of project, what are the…
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Summer 34 – Three decades of albatross research
18 Apr 2024Journalist Rebekah White meets two people who have been counting albatrosses on remote islands in the subantarctic for more than three decades. Their research shows that at least one species is en…
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Taking on water - marine protection in Aotearoa
11 Apr 2024New Zealand once led the world in marine protection. Now it looks like we will fail to meet our international promise to protect 30 percent of our ocean estate by 2030. Why is stopping fishing so…
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A tale of two islands – erect-crested penguins
4 Apr 2024The Bounty Islands are tiny in terms of area – just some bits of granite jutting out of the ocean. But they are huge in terms of seabirds. James Frankham joins a team researching the erect-crested…
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The mystery of how godwits sleep in flight
Kuaka bar-tailed godwits make the longest non-stop flights, and researchers are using hi-tech tags to solve the mystery of how and when they sleep.
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Top News stories
- Government lowers methane target, rules out methane taxes
- Rheumatology patients suffer significant pain without enough staff - professor
- Scientists discovered something alarming seeping out from beneath the ocean around Antarctica
- NPC rugby live updates: Canterbury v Counties-Manukau
- Māori wards, candidates voted down across Taranaki
