Dr Claire Concannon follows scientists into the bush, over rivers, back to their labs and many places in-between to cover the most fascinating research being done in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Latest episodes
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26 min
Saving tara-iti, shell by shell
In the dunes of Bream Bay, DOC workers and volunteers are shifting shells by hand to build safer nesting habitat for tara-iti. With only about 45 birds left, every nest matters. Pr…
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26 min
The PINK1 clue in Parkinson's disease
A genetic form of Parkinson’s disease is found at unusually high rates in some Pasifika communities. It affects people who are much younger than the typical Parkinson's patient. Re…
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27 min
Are GLP1 drugs worth the hype?
GLP1 - RA weight loss drugs get the Our Changing World treatment! What are they? How do they work? And what does the science say about the benefits, and the risks? Plus, beyond hea…
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27 min
Black robin: From the brink to Bird of the Year
In September, the Chatham Island black robin was crowned Bird of the Year 2026. This small, round and feisty manu has a remarkable comeback story, from just five birds in 1979 to a…
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26 min
The science quest for a green ammonia catalyst
Over a hundred years ago Fritz Haber and Carl Bosch discovered a way to produce ammonia that revolutionised farming. It changed the world. But today this way of making ammonia uses…
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26 min
Searching sand dunes for lizards
Over 80% of our coastal dune ecosystems have been lost. So, what about the native species living with them? Ayana Piper-Healion steps into Bream Bay’s sand dunes with a monitoring…
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20 min
Ireland's experience of H5/N1 bird flu: A conversation with Niall Hatch
Highly pathogenic H5/N1 bird flu strain has been detected in New Zealand, but it's still early days. There are lots of unknowns about when it will start spreading here, and how our…
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30 min
H5/N1 bird flu is here, what does this mean for our wildlife?
After years of watching it move closer, the highly pathogenic H5/N1 strain of bird flu has arrived on our shores. It has left a trail of devastation, causing mass mortality events…
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48 min
OCW Recommends: All in Her Head
Our Changing World listeners might like to check out All In Her Head, a podcast by investigative journalist Anusha Bradley exploring a complex medical syndrome, and the grey areas…
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27 min
Could we de-extinct the moa?
Our Changing World takes a deep dive into controversial plans by US company Colossal Biosciences, backed by filmmaker Peter Jackson, to de-extinct the Moa. In part one of a two-par…
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31 min
Should we de-extinct the moa?
Our Changing World takes a deep dive into controversial plans by US company Colossal Biosciences, backed by filmmaker Peter Jackson, to de-extinct the Moa. In part two of a two-par…
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27 min
Cold water swimming: panacea or peril?
Cold plunges and cold water swimming are increasingly popular, with big benefit claims being made on social media. But is submerging yourself in frigid water actually good for you?…
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31 min
A precious piece of sediment, and what it says about our future
After years of preparation and effort an international team have succeeded in recovering over 200 metres of sediment from below the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. Claire Concannon visit…
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27 min
Solar on the go and feeding the world in a catastrophe
There’s a lot of chat about solar panels for our rooftops, but where else might it make sense to put them? Claire Concannon visits the University of Canterbury’s Electric Power Eng…
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26 min
High powered magnets, and making steel with hydrogen
At the Robinson Research Institute in Wellington, researchers are developing powerful superconducting magnets for space, fusion and MRI applications. Claire Concannon visits the la…
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26 min
Electric motors for future flight
To get electric passenger planes in the skies requires powerful electric motors, but they must also be small and light. Some kiwi scientists think they could have a solution. Clair…
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27 min
An Antarctic adventure, and a book return
Join a group of young explorers as they journey to Antarctica to return a copy of The Count of Monte Cristo to Discovery Hut. Along the way they visit other historic huts to learn…
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25 min
New tech aimed at improving heart health at home
Every 90 minutes a New Zealander dies from heart disease. Liz Garton meets the team at the Institute of Biomedical Technologies is developing new products to help monitor heart hea…
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27 min
Building a nation-wide model of landslide risk
Out of all of New Zealand’s natural hazards, landslides have resulted in the greatest loss of life since written records began. Pulling in data from decades of landslide research,…
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27 min
Meet the Prime Minister's science prize winners
A team that developed a brain cooling treatment for oxygen-deprived babies, a young scientist who created a helpful backseat driver app, a Māori kaiako encouraging her students to…