Afternoons for Wednesday 16 July 2025

 

1:15 Find out how drone chainsaws could actually improve health and safety

Researchers from the University of Canterbury have successfully developed chainsaw drones. 

It comes off the back of eight years of development aiming to build drones that can traverse complex environments. 

The team has heard from multiple businesses that agree these drones could vastly improve the health and safety of their staff.

Computer science professor Richard Green led the project.

1:25 Protecting the Pukunui (the Southern NZ Dotterel)

Rakiura / Stuart Island is home to 105 Pukunui. It's the only place in the world they can be found

Doc class them as 'Threatened - Nationally Critical'. Just one step away from extinction.

And according to Zero Invasive Predators' Operations director Duncan Kay, without some serious intervention, they could be gone in a matter of years. 

1:35 The volunteers trying to save the historic ferry SS Toroa

The ferry SS Toroa turns 100 this year and passionate volunteers are asking for help to get her restoration complete, and see the steam boat back on the Waitematā. 

It sunk in 1998, but just three years later the Toroa preservation society successfully raised it from the depths. 

They've been restoring it ever since. Pouring millions of dollars and thousands of hours of labour into it.

Preservation society president Peter McCurdy talks to Jesse.

1:45 Heading Off: Taking a trip into the unknown

Would you go on a trip if you didn't know your exact destination, or what was on the itinerary? 

Intrepid Travel has recently relaunched their 'Uncharted Expeditions', which take adventurous travellers on a trip where they only know the starting point and end destination. 

Meredith Quick has been on an Uncharted Expedition that took her from Kazakhstan to Mongolia.

2.12 Music Critic: Void Waves and Damien Jurado

Critic Matthew Crawley shares his top tunes, Waste Away by Void Waves and For Each Familiar Scene by Damien Jurado. 

2:20 Easy Eats: Spanish-inspired meatballs w/ chilli, chickpea and spinach sauce

Kelly Gibney talks through her divine sounding meatball recipe. 

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

Click here for the recipe

2:30 Bookmarks with Milly Mitchell-Anyon

Milly Mitchell-Anyon is a rising voice in Aotearoa's arts scene - she's held exhibitions at Sarjeant Gallery, Puke Ariki, and Dunedin Public Art Gallery.

She's just launched 'Flaming Star' a genre-bending show which reimagines the Wild West through queer and Indigenous lenses.

She shares her book, music, film and podcast picks with Jesse.

3:10 If this is the Golden Age, how do we make the most of it? 

Humans have periods of great success followed by decline and eventual collapse. It's what we do. Golden Ages lose their shine.

We are living in the greatest Golden Age of all time and what happens next for us isn't fate, it's a choice says Swedish historian, lecturer and commentator Johan Norberg.  

He mines lessons from golden ages of the past to help keep our present one going longer in his new book, Peak Human, What We Can Learn from the Rise and Fall of Golden Ages.

3:35 Stories from Our Changing World: A New Zealand approach to nuclear fusion.

 In the core of the sun atoms fuse together releasing huge amounts of energy.
If scientists can figure out how to do it efficiently here on Earth, fusion holds great promise as a solution to our future energy needs.  
With recent breakthroughs in the field paving the way, the race is now on to develop and build the first nuclear fusion powerplant.
New Zealand private company OpenStar Technologies is trying something new - using a floating magnet. 
Claire Concannon visits their headquarters to learn about the milestones the company has achieved, and why they're backing their particular approach.

3:45 The pre-Panel

Wallace Chapman previews tonight's instalment of The Panel.